



III lii 1 



COMM* 



: 






















Class r 3 3. ^ g 

Book I 3 

CopyrightN 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



2161 Z 83J 



I) 



THE CONVENTION SERIES 
OF COMMENTARIES 

I. J. VAN NESS, D. D„ General Editor 



The Gospel According to Mark 

With Introduction and Notes 

BY 

J. J. TAYLOR, M. A., D. D., LL. D. 



Sunday School Board Southern Baptist Convention 
710 Church Street, Nashville, Tenn. 



<3 



Copyright, 1911, 

Sunday School Board, Southern Baptist Convention, 

Nashville, Tenn. 



American Standard Revision Text, 

Copyrighted, 1901, by Thos. Nelson & Sons, New York. 

Used by permission. 



©CI.A309072 

WO. I 



^r 



PREFACE TO THE SERIES. 



This series of commentaries has been projected to cover 
the whole of the New and Old Testaments. In the selection 
of writers an effort has been made to select qualified men, 
who are at the same time representative of the reverent and 
Bible-loving spirit of our people. Consequently large liberty 
of interpretation has been allowed the various writers, though 
at times it may be deemed necessary to indicate that other 
views prevail. 

The most critical examination is invited, though a wide- 
spread usefulness is coveted. 

I. J. Van Ness. 

Sunday School Board Rooms, 
Nashville, Tenn. 



To 

My Wife, 
Anna H. Taylor. 



INTRODUCTION. 



To many there comes occasionally, and with some there 
abides continually, a sense of wonder at the apparent chasm 
between the Old Testament and the New. When designedly 
left incomplete, ordinary books usually give some token of a 
volume to come ; or, if a sequel follows as an afterthought, a 
word of explanation is given. God's book is not as man's. 
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways 
my ways," * saith the Lord. The two Testaments stand like 
two mighty cliffs rising sheer into the clouds, without any 
formal indication of mutual dependence. Between the two 
there yawns across the course of revelation a deep abyss, whose 
darkness sometimes appalls the timid soul ; yet through the 
gloom there gleam some rays of light. 

A New Man and a New Time. 

At an early period in the history of the race there was given 
intimation of a coming man, 2 a human seed, to smite the 
serpent of evil, inflict a deadly wound, and bring in a better 
covenant based upon better promises. Later the intimation 
was made specific : 3 "A man shall be as an hiding place from 
the wind and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of water in 
a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." 
Knowing the necessities of the race, Jehovah said : 4 "Behold, 
the days come that I will make a new covenant with the house 
of Israel and with the house of Judah : not according to the 
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day I took them 
by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my 
covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith 
Jehovah ; but this is the covenant that I will make with the 
house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah : I will put my 
law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it ; 
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Under 
the new covenant there was also foretold a new time : 5 "The 
wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and 
the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose ; it shall blossom 
abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing." 6 The last 

1 Isa. 55 : 9. 3 Isa. 32 : 2. 5 Isa. 35 : 1. 

2 Gen. 3 : 15. 4 Jer. 31 : 31. 6 Mai. 4 : 5. 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

of the prophets announced a messenger sent to prepare the 
way for a new and notable era. 

A New Book. 

The promise of a new age introduced by a new man, doing 
and teaching things worthy of everlasting remembrance, sug- 
gests a new book. No fact in ancient history is more firmly 
established than the fact that Jesus came. Josephus, born 
about the time of the crucifixion, a Jew in blood, a Roman in 
sympathies, a man of ability and learning in his day, is on 
record as saying : "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise 
man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of 
wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with 
pleasure. He drew to himself both many of the Jews and many 
of the Gentiles. He was the Christ." Speaking of the early 
Christians, Tacitus, the Latin historian, said : "They had their 
name from Christus, who in the reign of Tiberius was put to 
death as a criminal by the procurator, Pontius Pilate." That 
there was such a man in the Judean province of the Roman 
empire in the days of Tiberius Csesar is as well attested as that 
there was such a province under such an emperor. 

The deeds and doctrines of the Man, as set forth in the 
records of evangelists and interpreted in the acts and the letters 
of apostles, who saw him, heard him, touched him, and felt 
his power, constitute the new book. The book of the genera- 
tion and life and influence of Jesus Christ needs no explana- 
tion ; because, as the book of the promised Christ, expected and 
desired, it is in perfect harmony with the nature of things. 
It interprets the ancient Scriptures, and is in turn interpreted 
by them. 

The New Book and the Old. 

The New Testament incorporates more than two hundred 
quotations from the Old. * It mentions the manner of the 
Lord's birth, the flight into and return from Egypt, the lamen- 
tation for the butchered babes in Bethlehem, the residence in 
Nazareth, the sojourn in the borders of Zabulun, the healing 
of sickness, the unobtrusive manner of work, the parabolic 
teaching, the ride on the colt, the distribution of garments at 
the foot of the cross, and other incidents in the record as 
specifically designed to fulfill the ancient Scriptures. The ful- 
fillment noted is not simply a verification of prophetic utter- 
ances, but also an accomplishment of divine purposes. It in- 
volves the integrity of divine character, as well as the veracity 
of divine messengers. 

1 Mat. 1 : 22 ; Mat. 2 : 15, 16 ; Mat. 2 : 17 ; Mat. 2 : 23 ; Mat. 4 : 
14; Mat. 8 : 17 ; Mat. 12: 17; Mat. 13: 34; Mat. 21 : 4 ; Mat. 
27 : 35. 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

The separate books of the Old Testament are endorsed in 
the New. Genesis : * "God did rest the seventh day from all 
his works." * Exodus : "Put off thy shoes from thy feet." 

3 Leviticus : "The bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought 
into the sanctuary . . . are burned without the camp." 

4 Numbers : "Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of 
unrighteousness." 5 Deuteronomy : "Man shall not live by 
bread alone." These passages represent the entire Pentateuch, 
and give it New Testament endorsement. The 6 Psalms, as a 
general division of the ancient Scriptures, are recognized : 
"David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always 
before my face ; he is on my right hand, that I should not be 
moved." Separate prophets are mentioned. 7 Isaiah : "The 
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of 
the Lord." 8 Jeremiah : "Rachel weeping for her children, and 
would not be comforted, because they are not." Walking 
toward Emmaus 9 Jesus finds in all the Scriptures things con- 
cerning himself. 

It is a notable fact that the passages in the Old Testament, 
which evoke the sharpest criticism, receive definite endorsement 
in the New. 10 The story of the creation and fall of man : 
"Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was 
in the transgression." u The deluge, which has excited so much 
discussion : "The day that Noah entered into the ark, and the 
flood came and destroyed them all." 12 The judgment on the 
cities of the plain : "The same day that Lot went out of Sodom, 
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven." 13 The famous stroke 
of vengeance disclosed in the pillar of salt : "Remember Lot's 
wife." 14 The wonderful deliverance from the armies of Pharaoh 
at the sea : "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by 
dry land, which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." 
15 The marvels of the wilderness journey, the bread from heaven, 
the water from the rock. 16 The deliverance of the Hebrews in 
Babylon : "Stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence 
of fire." 1T The story of Jonah and the fish : "Jonah was three 
days and three nights in the whale's belly." Into the very 
puzzles of the Old Testament the New flashes the light of ap- 
proval, the two being bound together in bands which can never 
be dissolved. In the divine thought the two are one, the Old 
supporting the New, the New resting on the Old, and both rich 
in treasures of truth designed for the whole race. 

1 Heb. 4:4. 7 Mat. 3:3. 13 Luke 17 : 32. 

2 Acts 7 : 33. 8 Mat. 2 : 18. 14 Heb. 11 : 29. 

3 Heb. 13 : 11. 9 Luke 24 : 27. 15 John 6 : 49 ; 

4 2 Pet. 2 : 15. 10 1 Tim. 2 : 14. 1 Cor. 10 : 4. 

3 Mat. 4:4. "■ Luke 17 : 27. 16 Heb. 11 : 33, 34. 

6 Acts 2 : 25. 12 Luke 17 : 29. 17 Mat. 12 : 40. 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

The Canon of Scripture. 

The story of manuscripts and versions, of texts and readings, 
and of the admission of various books into the sacred collec- 
tion, is interesting enough, but there is no need to recount it 
here. Able and faithful men, thoroughly prepared for the work 
and having no reason for deception, have gone over the whole 
matter, and have settled the question of the canon centuries 
ago. The authenticity of New Testament records, as they are 
known today, is admitted by rationalists themselves ; and there 
is no reason to doubt that they were written by the persons to 
whom they are currently ascribed. Renan, who accepts the 
Gospels as reliable documents, bears this witness : "I have tra- 
versed in all directions the country of the Gospels. I have 
visited Jerusalem, Hebron, and Samaria. Scarcely any im- 
portant locality in the history of Jesus has escaped me. All 
that history which at a distance seems to float in the clouds 
of an unreal world thus took a form and a solidity which as- 
tonished me. The striking agreement of the texts with the 
places and the marvelous harmony of the gospel ideal with the 
country which served it as a framework were like a revelation." 
To be sure, authors of certain books are not named in the 
writings credited to them, but the same is true of many ancient 
documents. In any case the identity of a writer is of no prac- 
tical importance, so he wrote the truth, and so the truth has 
been preserved. 

The Author. 

For centuries the second book of the New Testament, as cur- 
rently known, has been credited to John, whose surname was 
Mark. John Mark, 1 sometimes called John, 2 usually Mark, 
was a son of 3 Mary : not Mary the mother of Jesus, nor Mary 
the Magdalene, nor Mary the mother of James and Joses, nor 
Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus, nor Mary the wife of 
Cleopas, nor Mary the friend of Paul in Rome, but Mary the 
sister of Barnabas, who was joint minister with Paul in the 
first historic gospel tour. In the literature of the times there 
is no mention of her husband, and the inference is that he was 
dead, or otherwise out of evidence, before the son came into 
notice. The mother was of the tribe of 4 Levi, and probably 
lived for a time in Cyprus. When first mentioned in the Scrip- 
tures she had a home in Jerusalem. Possibly it was her own 
property ; certainly it was sufficiently commodious to afford a 

*Acts 13: 5, 13. 

2 Acts 15 : 39 ; Col. 4 : 10 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 11 ; Philemon 1 : 24 ; 
1 Peter 5 : 13. 

3 Acts 12: 12; Mat. 1 : 16 ; Mat. 27: 56; Luke 10: 39; John 
19 : 25 ; Rom. 16 : 6. 

4 Acts 4: 36. 



INTRODUCTION. 9 

meeting place for large assemblies, and in either case it indi- 
cated a good degree of prosperity. 

Nothing is known of the time or manner of her conversion 
and union with the church ; but in her house was an altar of 
prayer, in her heart a spirit of fellowship, and under her roof 
many were gathered together in supplication, when by the hand 
of an angel Peter was delivered from prison and from the ex- 
pectation of his foes. Like many a good woman, she gets her 
chief distinction through the fame of her son. In the sacred 
records she is known as Mary the mother of Mark. 

This surname is of Latin origin, and in the common version 
the Latin form is preserved in Paul's letters to Colossians and 
Philemon, also in Peter's first epistle. How it came to him is 
not known ; but it indicates Latin affiliations or preferences, 
and quite sufficiently accounts for the three or four extra Latin 
terms found in the narrative attributed to him, without the 
violent assumption that he ever visited Rome or in any way 
came under the influence of the Roman church. 

Mark's History. 

When and where Mark was born, converted, baptized, or 
ordained to preach, no one knows. Peter's reference to him as 
a son may mean that the apostle was the instrument of his 
conversion, though it may be only a term of endearment ; in 
any case it gives no clue to the date of his second birth. The 
writings attributed to him indicate knowledge of both Aramaic 
and Greek, and some ancient documents suggest Latin also ; 
but nothing is known of his early training, or of the extent of 
the learning which he possessed. The assumption that he was 
not a disciple until after the ascension of Jesus is entirely 
gratuitous, and is hardly consistent with known facts. In the 
first mention of his name the language clearly implies that 
he was then better known than his mother. As the duty of 
spreading the gospel among the nations was pressed upon the 
conscience of the Jerusalem church, John Mark became avail- 
able for a broader service. When Paul and Barnabas finished 
their ministration of beneficence to the mother church, and 
were about to return to Antioch, Mark was willing to go with 
them. Later, when they were guided by the Spirit to other 
fields of labor, he became their minister. 

What special service he was chosen to render has not been 
disclosed. In its original significance the phrase used indicated 
primarily a manual service. In popular usage it took a wider 
scope, ranging from the underlings who followed petty magis- 
trates to the dignitaries who graced the courts of kings. In 
New Testament times it was applied to the officers of the San- 
hedrin, and Jesus used it in explanation of his appearance to 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

1 Paul : "To make thee a minister." As indicated in the term 
the service might include anything from the strapping of san- 
dals to the preaching of the eternal word. 

With Paul and Barnabas, heroes of the faith, Mark departed 
from Antioch. He went due west down to Selucia, the nearest 
port, lying on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, at the 
mouth of the river, which empties into the bay of Antioch, and 
thence sailed to Cyprus. In due time he stepped ashore at 
Salamis, a city on the eastern coast of the island, where the 
word was preached in the synagogues of the Jews. On the en- 
tire island nothing worthy of a place in the record was done, 
until the preachers arrived at 2 Paphos lying at the extreme 
southwest. The city was the Roman capital of the country, 
the palace being occupied by Sergius Paulus. About that man 
the entire record of the visit centered. There Mark witnessed 
a dramatic conflict with one Elymas, a mountebank who at 
that early date had learned the art of graft, and was loth to 
see so profitable a patron as the Proconsul slip from under his 
hand. He saw the ignominious overthrow of the humbug, wit- 
nessed the conversion of Sergius, and rejoiced in the establish- 
ment of the faith in the city. Having traversed the island, he 
embarked for Asia Minor, landed at an unnamed port, and 
passed on to Perga in the district of Pamphylia. At that point 
what promised to be a notable career in mission work came to 
an abrupt end. Mark left his friends, and went back to Jeru- 
salem. 

Paul and Mark. 

For this action various explanations have been offered : that 
he was homesick ; that he shrank from the perils and uncer- 
tainties of the enterprise ; that he felt a filial obligation to his 
mother; that he desired to labor with Peter and others in 
preaching the gospel nearer home. These are simply guesses, 
good enough in their way, no better than others that might be 
made, and proving nothing to the point. Whatever the reasons 
for his course, it instigated a historic dispute, which parted 
loving friends. Later, when Paul and Barnabas were planning 
to visit the churches in cities where they had preached, Bar- 
nabas proposed to take Mark with them, but Paul objected, and 
strife ensued. s The pathetic record is: "The contention was 
so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the 
other ;" and there is no evidence that they ever met again. Bar- 
nabas took Mark, and the two went over to Cyprus, the scene 
of former labors, probably also the home of friends and relatives. 

Whatever the effect of kinship, or the lack of it in the fa- 
mous dispute, Paul was in the wrong. Mark had no distinct 
call from the Holy Ghost ; he went voluntarily, and had a right 
i Acts 26 : 16. 2 Acts 13 : 6. 3 Acts 15 39. 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

to return at will. Paul's temper in the matter was unwar- 
ranted. There is no account that he made any formal apology, 
and it is doubtful if formal apologies really accomplish the 
desired end. The most effective apology for any offense lies in 
the resumption of kindly feelings and friendly offices. 1 Later 
records show that Mark was with Paul at Csesarea, and re- 
ceived his commendation to brethren at Colosse. At last when 
Paul lay a prisoner in the discomfort and isolation of a Roman 
dungeon, broken and old from the hardships which he had 
suffered, eager for the sound of a friendly voice and the touch 
of a friendly hand, he wrote to 2 Timothy at Ephesus : "Do 
thy diligence to come unto me. Take Mark, and bring him 
with thee : for he is useful to me for ministering." The pre- 
sumption is that Mark was not permitted to heed the call, as 
in less time than the trip would require the old soldier put off 
his armor, and went on to receive the promised crown. 

How long Mark remained in 3 Cyprus with his uncle is not 
known. Being of no importance, the order of events is not 
clearly indicated in the records. The dates here given are a 
compromise among the figurings of various scholars who have 
investigated the subject, and are accurate enough for practical 
purposes. It has been figured out that Mark was with his 
mother in Jerusalem as early as the year 40 ; that he left with 
Paul and Barnabas in the year 44, and returned in a few 
months ; that he was with Barnabas in Cyprus in 52, with 
Peter in Babylon in 60, with Paul in Caesarea in 62, with 
Timothy in Ephesus in 68. The Scriptures make no later 
reference to him. Some ancient writings indicate that he 
visited the regions of Egypt, and founded a church in Alex- 
andria, where he became pastor, and continued his labors till 
his career was closed by a martyr's death. Beyond the Scrip- 
ture records nothing definite is known. 

Mabk's Gospel. 

Among surmises it is easy to set the surmise that Mark 
turned back from Perga and again from Cyprus to take up the 
work of authorship, and write the story of Jesus. Such a sup- 
position discredits no one, and harmonizes with accepted facts. 
To be sure, the book attributed to him, like other books of the 
Bible, does not assert the author's identity ; but from very 
early Christian times Mark has been distinguished as its au- 
thor. The date of the work is not known, and a knowledge of 
it would add nothing to its value. 

The historic discussion about Peter's connection with the 
book is of no practical value. Touching that matter the liter- 
ary lumber that has been hauled down the centuries is hardly 

1 Col. 4 : 10. 2 2 Tim. 4 : 9, 11. 3 Acts 15 : 39. 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

good junk. The Holy Spirit is able to use Mark, son of Mary, 
quite as effectively as Simon, son of Jonah. Mark's book gives 
no internal evidence of supervision by Peter, and would be no 
better if it did. On the contrary, the evidence favors the idea 
of independent work. In harmony with his sprightly style 
Mark gives some unimportant details in the life of Peter, that 
are omitted by other writers; but he also omits matters which 
he would be expected to record, on the supposition that Peter 
directed the work. Mark records the incident of Jesus walk- 
ing on the sea, but he makes no mention whatever of Peter's 
part in the matter. He says nothing of the blessing pro- 
nounced on Peter, because the Father revealed to him Jesus as 
the Christ, the Son of the living God, and nothing of the keys 
committed to him. He makes no record of Peter's acts in 
securing tribute money from the fish, or in seeking an exposi- 
tion of the parable of defilement, or in assisting to prepare the 
last passover. Such omissions are not chargeable to modesty 
on Peter's part, as other records do not endow him with an 
unusual measure of that virtue. To the suggestion that Mark 
needed some one to give him information about the incidents 
of the Lord's life, it is quite sufficient to say that he learned 
other matters just as he learned about the wild beasts which 
were about Jesus in the wilderness of temptation. 

The theory that one evangelist wrote especially for one class 
or nationality, and another for another, is a common contention. 
It is seriously argued that Mark wrote for Gentiles, because he 
explained certain Jewish customs, translated into Greek certain 
Aramaic terms, and mentioned certain topographical matters, 
so telling things that were not necessary in writing for Jews. 
By the same argument it might be possible to refute the theory 
that Matthew wrote for Jews, as he takes pains to state that 
Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat 
Judas and his brethren ! What Jew did not know that ? Turned 
another way the argument equally proves that Mark wrote 
primarily for the people of Judea, seeing that he failed to tell 
who John the Baptist was, and made no reference whatever to 
the early life of Jesus, these things being fully understood by 
the people for whom he wrote ! A good deal of unprofitable dis- 
cussion has found its way into print, and the end is not yet. 
By whomsoever written the gospel is for the whole world, Jew 
and Gentile, bond and free. The little divergencies in the 
records, of which so much has been made, are mere variations 
in style, which indicate the personal qualities of the respective 
writers rather than any definite purpose on their part. 

Language and Style. 
Mark's book was originally written in Greek, the claim t« 
the contrary being abandoned by those who would be glad for it 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

to be sustained. That he occasionally dropped into Aramaic or 
Hebrew words is the thing that needs explanation, rather than 
the translation of these same words into Greek. On that point 
one man's guess is quite as good as another's, and all are worth- 
less. 

Mark's style is concrete, descriptive, vivid, sometimes abrupt. 
He uses the noun rather than the pronoun, the direct discourse 
rather than the indirect, the present tense rather than the past. 
He records deeds rather than discourses, and instead of argu- 
ing he simply presents facts, and leaves legitimate inference to 
individual minds. 1 He likes antitheses, and writes that the 
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath ; that 
Jesus taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes ; 
that he spake many things in parables, and without a parable 
spake he not ; that some sinners have never forgiveness, but 
are in danger of eternal damnation. He often gives pictorial 
touches, which color the scenes portrayed by him, and give ad- 
ditional charm. He writes of Jesus as a man among men, a 
veritable Lion of the tribe of Judah, going about and doing 
good, meeting the cohorts of darkness and delivering the sub- 
jects of Satan's power. 2 He mentions the look of anger that 
sometimes spread over his face, the comprehensive gaze that he 
turned upon his followers, the searching glance toward a woman 
who would steal a blessing, the loving embrace in which he held 
little children, the order of travel on the final journey to Jeru- 
salem. 3 He tells of the attitudes of Jesus, and enables one to 
fancy the Lord as he turns in anger, lies asleep on a pillow in 
the hinder part of the boat, or sits on the mount of Olives over 
against the temple. He represents him as subject to human 
emotions, anger, amazement, grief, pity, love ; and under his 
guidance one may hear him groan in spirit or sigh, or may 
listen to his accents as he drops into the vernacular, saying, 
Taleitha houm, Korban, Eloi eloi lama saoacMhanei. 

Mark records that 4 Zebedee was left in the ship with hired 
servants ; that Levi was the son of Alphaeus ; that John was 
brother to James, the two being surnamed Boanerges ; that 
the Pharisees plotted with the Herodians against Jesus ; that 
the multitude at Capernaum crowded out time for meals ; that 
the mustard plant shot out great branches ; that the Gadarene 
swine fed near the mountain and numbered about two thou- 
sand, and that the healed demoniac published his cure in De- 
capolis ; that the ruler and his wife were in the room when 
their daughter was restored to life, and that she was of the 

1 2 : 27 ; 1 : 22 ; 4 : 33, 34. 
2 3: 5; 3: 34; 5: 30; 9: 36; 10: 32. 
3 8 * 12 * 4 * 38 ■ 13 ' 3 

•1: 20 '; 2: 14'; 3: 17; 3 : 6 ; 3 : 20 ; 4 : 32 ; 5 : 11, 13 ; 5 : 20 ; 
5 : 40, 42 ; 6 : 40 ; 7 : 26 ; 10 : 17 ; 12 : 41 ; 14 : 66 ; 15 : 21. 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

age of twelve years ; that the people who were fed in the desert 
near Bethsaida sat down by hundreds and by fifties, garden beds, 
garden beds ; that the woman whose daughter was healed in the 
regions of Tyre and Sidon was a Syrophenician by nation ; that 
the young ruler came to Jesus in a run, and kneeled to enquire 
what to do ; that Jesus sat over against the treasury in the 
temple, and watched the offerings ; that while Jesus was on 
trial Peter was beneath in the palace ; that Simon the Oyrenian, 
who assisted in bearing the cross, was also the father of Rufus 
and Alexander. Sometimes he uses unusual Greek words : 
Jcomopolis, paidiothen, episuntrecho, stibas, hupolenian, noune- 
clios, promerimnao, terms not found elsewhere in the New Tes- 
tament. Occasionally he puts into the limits of a single verse 
the record of prodigious labors : "And wheresoever he entered 
into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the 
sick in the market places, and besought him that they- might 
touch if it were but the border of his garment ; and as many 
as touched him were made whole." Or he adds a clause that 
lights up the whole scene, as in speaking of the demoniac of 
1 Gadara, he says : "No man could any more bind him, no, not 
with a chain ; because that he had been often bound with fetters 
and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and 
the fetters broken in pieces ; and no man had strength to tame 
him." This added information impresses the mind with the 
hopeless condition of the man, as day and night in the moun- 
tains and in the tombs he was crying and cutting himself with 
stones. 

The Peculiarities of Mark's Gospel. 

It has been figured out that Mark follows the order of events 
more closely than any other evangelist. In the entire record 
only the raising of the ruler's daughter and the healing of the 
afflicted woman on the way are mentioned out of their chrono 
logical place. His narrative is briefest of the Gospels, and 
some have claimed that it is simply an abridgement of what 
others previously wrote ; but it is quite as easy and cogent to 
argue that Mark wrote first, and others enlarged his work. 
One position is quite as tenable as the other, and every man is 
at liberty to take his choice or to repudiate both. 

A comparison of the four Gospels shows that Mark omits a 
good deal that others record. He says nothing concerning the 
birth of John or Jesus, and records no incident of their child- 
hood or youth. Omitting all preliminary matters, he begins 
with the beginning of the gospel of Christ. From that point he 
lays emphasis on the deeds of Jesus rather than his words. 
He says nothing of the early Judean ministry, mentioned by 
Matthew and Luke and elaborated by John; nothing of the 

1 5 : 3, 4. 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

interview with Nicodemus, or of the great conversation with 
the woman at Jacob's well ; and little of the visit to Nazareth, 
and the ungracious treatment accorded him there. One looks in 
vain for the longer discourses, such as the Sermon on the Mount, 
the later discourse on the plain, the instruction to the twelve, 
the great discourse in the synagogue at Capernaum, the dis- 
cussion with the Pharisees at the feast, the argument in con- 
nection with the story of Jonah, the instruction to the seventy, 
the story of Lazarus and the visit to Zacchaeus, the farewell 
discourse and the talk with the two who went to Emmaus on 
the day of the resurrection. Of the parables he records only 
four, that of the sower, of the mustard seed, of the wicked 
husbandmen, and of the secret growth of the seed. Three of 
these touch the same general theme, seeding and growth ; and 
the fourth is not far removed. Of twenty-seven miracles re- 
corded in the four Gospels, Mark gives eighteen, thus dwelling 
on what has been called acted parables. 

The Closing Verses of the Gospel. 

The original manuscript written by Mark is not in existence. 
Two very early copies of Mark's Gospel do not contain the 
twelve verses which close the narrative ; but this fact in no 
wise invalidates them. What is regarded as the oldest manu- 
script in existence, though the relative age of different manu- 
scripts is very uncertain, omits whole chapters from Genesis 
and from Psalms ; but nobody supposes that the omission 
proves anything beyond the frailty of human performances. 
The closing verses of Mark bear no internal evidence of spuri- 
ousness. It is inconceivable that an enemy of the Lord under- 
took to add to the wonderful record of his Word. In all the 
world today there is no intelligent friend of the Lord who 
would presume to do such a thing, and the work is not the 
product of ignorance. How then did these verses get into any 
manuscript? The critic meets the question by supposing that 
some good man in the distant past did what no good man in 
the whole range of human knowledge has ever done, undertook 
to write a little Scripture on his own responsibility, fixing it 
up as he thought it ought to be ! This sort of argumentation 
is of doubtful value ; it ascribes to others what the ascribers 
themselves would scorn to do, and is not entirely convincing. 

The version used in this volume is the American Revision, 
made from the Westcott and Hort text. 

An Outline of the Gospel. 

In all the narrative Mark presents Jesus as the Son of God 
with power disclosed in his mighty works, that men may see 
and believe. A general outline of the book may be observed as 
follows : 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

I. Introduction : i 3 to 13. More specifically, an announce- 
ment, 1 to 3 ; John preaching, and baptizing penitents, also 
Jesus, 4 to 11 ; the temptation of Jesus, 12, 13. 

II. Work in Galilee : i 14 through chapter ix. More specific- 
ally, preaching and calling disciples, i 14 to 20 ; healing a de- 
moniac in Capernaum, i 21 to 27 ; additional miracles, i 28 to 
45 ; preaching and healing in Capernaum, ii 1 to 12 ; calling 
Levi, ii 13 to 28 ; healing a withered hand, iii 1 to 5, and many 
others, iii 6 to 12 ; calling apostles, iii 13 to 21 ; refuting scribes 
from Jerusalem, iii 22 to 30 ; disclosing his kindred, 31 to 35 ; 
parable of the sower with an interpretation, iv 1 to 20 ; doc- 
trine of the candle, iv 21 to 25 ; parables of seeding, iv 26 to 
34 ; stilling a tempest, iv 35 to 41 ; doing wonders among the 
Gadarenes, v 1 to 21 ; Jairus and the afflicted woman, v 22 to 
43 ; in the regions of Nazareth, vi 1 to 6 ; the twelve ordained, 
vi 7 to 13 ; views concerning Jesus, vi 14 to 16 ; record of John's 
death, vi 17 to 29 ; feeding in the desert, vi 30 to 46 ; walking 
on the sea and healing many, vi 47 to 56 ; discussion of Jewish 
customs, vii 1 to 13 ; doctrine of defilement, vii 14 to 23 ; visit 
to Tyre and Sidon, vii 24 to 30 ; return to Galilee, vii 31 to 
37 ; feeding four thousand, viii 1 to 9 ; through Dalmanutha to 
Bethsaida, viii 10 to 26 ; into the regions of Csesarea Philippi, 
viii 27 to ix 1 ; transfiguration, ix 2 to 13 ; the demoniac child, 
ix 14 to 29 ; concerning his death, ix 30 to 32 ; question of 
greatness, ix 33 to 37 ; hell, ix 38 to 50. 

III. Through Perea* to Jerusalem and incidents before the 
arrest, x to xiii. More specifically, concerning divorce, x 1 to 
12; little children, x 13 to 16; the young ruler, x 17 to 27; 
religion worth while, x 28 to 31 ; death foretold, x 32 to 34 ; 
the way of greatness, x 35 to 45 ; Bartimeus, x 46 to 52 ; tri- 
umphal entry? xi 1 to 11 ; visit to Bethany, xi 12 to 14 ; cleans- 
ing the temple, xi 15 to 19 ; disquisition on faith, xi 20 to 26 ; 
authority questioned, xi 27 to 33 ; parable of the wicked hus- 
bandmen, xii 1 to 12 ; tribute money, xii 13 to 17 ; Sadducees 
answered, xii 18 to 27 ; grade of commandments, xii 28 to 40 ; 
by the treasury, xii 41 to 44 ; doom of the temple, xiii 1 to 3 ; 
disquisition on coming troubles, xiii 4 to 37. 

IV. Closing scenes, xiv, xv. More specifically, seeking to 
kill him, xiv 1, 2 ; anointing for burial, xiv 3 to 9 ; planning to 
betray, xiv .10, 11 ; the old and the new passover, xiv 12 to 26 ; 
tokens of denial and Gethsemane, xiv 27 to 42 ; Jesus arrested 
and taken before the Sanhedrin, xiv 43 to 72 ; tried before 
Pilate and condemned, xv 1 to 15 ; led to Calvary, executed and 
buried, xv 16 to 47. 

V. The resurrection and subsequent events, xvi. More spe- 
cifically, the first knowledge of the empty tomb, xvi 1 to 8; 
appearances to different ones, xvi 9 to 14; the commission, xvi 
15 to 18 ; the ascension and the beginning of Acts, xvi 19, 20. 



THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 

MARK. 



IThe beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a the 
Son of God. 
2 Even as it is written 8 in Isaiah the prophet, 
4 Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, 
Who shall prepare thy way ; 

1 Or, good tidings: and so elsewhere. 

2 Some ancient authorities omit the Son of God. 

3 Some ancient authorities read in the prophets. 

4 Mai. 3 : 1. 

1 Whether in Greek or English the word gospel means 
good news. In its wider application it embraces any form 
of good tidings, whether about things temporal or things 
eternal. In some of its forms the word is found in the New 
Testament more than a hundred times. It is the gospel of 
the kingdom, the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of 
peace, the gospel of salvation, the gospel of God, the gospel 
of his Son, the gospel of his dear Son, the gospel of Christ, 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious gospel of 
Christ, the glorious gospel of the happy God, the everlasting 
gospel, our gospel, my gospel. It is the good news of Christ's 
coming, with all the qualities he displayed, all the doctrines 
he taught, all the ordinances he established, all the duties he 
enjoined, all the promises he made. Here it is called the 
gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus is his name 
as the Son of Mary, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew 
Joshua, meaning deliverer ; Christ is his official title, equiva- 
lent to Messiah, while Son of God indicates his divine char- 
acter. Mark does not argue these matters ; he simply 
assumes the truth, and proceeds with the story, recounting 
facts in the life and teachings of Jesus, and leaving them 
to the conscience of each individual soul. Like any other 
new message, the gospel of Jesus Christ had a beginning, 
not with the apostles' preaching on the day of Pentecost, 
nor with the sending of the seventy or the twelve, nor with 
the public ministry of Jesus, nor yet with the testimony of 
the ancient prophets. The new dispensation opened and 
the gospel began with the voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness. 

2 This was according to the prophets. It was according to 
the facts. Mark asserts it, and quotes both Malachi and 

—2— 



18 MARK 1 : 3, 4. 

3 5 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 
Make ye ready the way of the Lord, 
Make his paths straight; 
4 John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached 
5 Is. 11: 3. 

Isaiah in harmony with the assertion; and a thousand vol- 
umes of word jugglery to the contrary have no power to 
change the history. 

The Westcott and Hort text, from which the version used 
in this volume is made, names only Isaiah as the prophet 
quoted; other ancient manuscripts use a plural term, proph- 
ets, and Mark quotes from two, making it easy to decide 
which is the original text. The effort to correct Mark by 
what may or may not be a later scribe's fidelity does not 

3 commend itself. After the manner of ancient dignitaries the 
coming King sent an advance messenger to make prepara- 
tion for his arrival. The original prophecy gave details of 
the process : cut down hills, fill valleys, straighten out 
crooks, level the surface. Great events were expected. 

4 John, a name signifying God graciously gave, was common 
among the Jews. After the heroic exploits of John 
Hyrcanus, as recorded in the Apocrypha and in secular 
history, it became more popular than ever before. Four of 
the name figured in the scenes of the New Testament. These 
were John Mark, John the kinsman of the high priest, John 
the apostle, and John the first gospel preacher. He was a 
son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and a kinsman of Jesus, 
six months his senior. He was reared without the use of 
wine or other strong drink, and was in the wilderness until 
he appeared as a public teacher among his people. Mark 
brought him into the narrative abruptly, as a man well 
known, or as one whose work overshadowed all questions 
of ancestry and training. He never even mentioned him as 
the Baptist, though he recorded that others gave him that 
title. Whatever he was to others, to Mark he was simply 
John, who came as a voice in the wilderness to open the 
gospel dispensation by preaching and by baptizing such as 

* came in proper spirit. Among secular writers of so early 
times Josephus also bore witness to him. There in the 
region called the wilderness John did his work. It was not 
a region with definite limits. Any territory outside the 
cities was regarded as wilderness, being sparsely settled, 
sometimes sterile, otherwise verdant and suitable for pas- 
turage. John began his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, 
which lay on the western side of the mouth of Jordan, oc- 
cupying about one third of Judah's inheritance and extend- 
ing into that of Benjamin. Later the scene of his activi- 



MARK I: 4, 5. 19 

the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins. 5 And 

ties included all the country about Jordan, and extended 
even to Bethabara beyond the river. Preaching the gospel 
of Jesus Christ, he instituted a new rite. He baptized. It 
was not a continuation of a rite already familiar to the 
people, and known as proselyte baptism. According to the 
Old Testament no such rite was ever know among God's 
ancient people, every claim to the contrary being a baseless 
assumption. The law and the prophets were until John. 
The new cloth was not patched on to an old garment. The 
rite of baptism was so new and striking that it overshadowed 
other aspects of John's work ; and instead of being known 
as John the preacher, or John the reformer, he was John 
the baptizer. Naturally it made a deep impression to see 
grown people willingly dipped into the water in token of 
their complete surrender to the coming King. The ordinance 
of baptism truly administered still makes a deep impression. 
John was sent of God to baptize, and he knew the will 
of God in the matter. It was not an indefinite sort of 
water rite, which might be acceptably administered by 
sprinkling or pouring water on a person, as well as by 
dipping the person into water. Volumes have been written 
to disprove the necessity of being dipped in baptism, but 
they have never carried conviction to unbiased minds. Apart 
from the meaning of the word, the circumstance of admin- 
istering the ordinance in a river or in some other place 
where there is much water, or of describing it as a burial, 
cannot be satisfactorily explained in harmony with the idea 
of a sprinkling. However, the word used in the sacred 
record puts the matter beyond the range of doubt. Joseph 
Henry Thayer, Professor of New Testament Interpretation 
in the Divinity School of Harvard University, laboring 
twenty years on a single volume, and basing his work on 
the most advanced learning of Germany, has produced the 
best lexicon of the New Testament, and has uttered the 
voice of the world's best scholarship touching the subject. 
After stating that the word baptizo, baptize, properly means 
to dip repeatedly, to immerse or submerge, to cleanse by 
dipping or submerging, he says : "In the New Testament it 
is used particularly of the rite of sacred ablution, first in- 
stituted by John the Baptist, afterward by Christ's com- 
mand received by Christians and adjusted to the contents 
and nature of their religion, namely, an immersion in water, 
performed as a sign of the removal of sin, and administered 
to those who, impelled by a desire for salvation, sought 
admission to the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom." Noth- 
ing is gained by substituting the Latin immerse for the 
Greek baptize, as both have the same meaning. In harmony 



20 MARK 1 : 5. 

there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all 
they of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the 

with the meaning of the verb baptize Thayer further says 
of baptisma, baptism, that it is a word peculiar to the New 
Testament and to ecclesiastical writers, meaning immersion 
or submersion, and used figuratively of calamities, when 
one is quite overwhelmed. Baptism is an act in which a 
believer in Christ is dipped or buried in water in obedience 
to the will of the Lord, as set forth in the Scriptures. In 
preaching the gospel of Christ John necessarily preached the 
doctrine and duty of baptism, and it was a baptism of re- 
pentance unto remission of sins. 

The Greek word for remission, which is sometimes ren- 
dered forgiveness, means an obliteration, a putting away, 
a rubbing out. The construction connects the remission 
with the repentance, and not with the baptism. Repentance 
is not weeping, or mourning, or struggling of any kind, 
though such exercises may lead to repentance, or may mark 
it as an experience. In the second letter to Corinthians, 
Paul makes the matter clear : "Though I made you sorry 
with my epistle, I do not regret it, though I did regret it; 
for I perceive that the epistle made you sorry, though but 
for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, 
but that ye were sorrowful unto repentance . . . For 
godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repent- 
ance which bringeth no regret." The repentance is not 
the sorrow, but is the result of it. It arises out of a reali- 
zation of past wrong. It is a state of aversion to wrong 
in all its forms, and of willingness to walk in all right ways, 
in submission to authority and in obedience to the truth. 
God is forever against sin ; and when men turn from sin 
unto God, they find forgiveness. Forgiveness attends re- 
pentance even until seventy time seven. In the phrase bap- 
tism of repentance the preposition indicates what in classic 
tongues is called the genitive case, which is the case of 
origins. A baptism of repentance is simply a baptism which 
originates in the fact that those who receive it have turned 
from sin, and yielded themselves up to obey the command- 
ments of the Lord. Every true baptism is a baptism of 
repentance, and is a voluntary submission to the authority 
of Christ. The idea of using force in bringing persons to 
baptism, as Romanists formerly forced the ordinance upon 
the Chinese or as some Protestants force it upon defense- 
less children, is utterly repugnant both to the spirit and the 
letter of the gospel. 
5 The beginning of the gospel was attended with power. 
There went out unto John, not every individual, but multi- 



MARK 1 : 5-8. 21 

river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed 
with camel's hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, 
and did eat locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, 
saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, 
the latchet of whose shoes I am not 6 worthy to stoop down 
and unloose. 8 I baptized you 7 in water ; but he shall bap- 
tize you 7 in the Holy Spirit. 

6 Gr. sufficient. T Or, with. 

tudes representing all Judea and Jerusalem ; and they were 
baptized in the river, confessing their sins. Confessing, they 
were forgiven and cleansed, and were ready for baptism. It 
was their own act, otherwise it would have been worthless. 

6 John's apparel was similar to that of his prototype and 
other prophets. Camel's hair cloth was a coarse texture, 
very durable, and still worn by the poor of eastern coun- 
tries. Pictures representing John as clothed in garments 
made of camel skins are fanciful, and contrary to the 
records. The loose fitting garment was held in place by a 
girdle, the belt being an ancient necessary article of dress. 
Locusts were plentiful, and were allowed as clean by Le- 
vitical law. Wild bees stored their honey in the clefts of 
rocks and in the hollows of trees. Nature provided the 

7 preacher with necessary food. John told of the coming of 
Christ Jesus, and in humility he represented himself as not 
worthy to do for him so menial a service as to strap his 
sandals ; yet was he soon called to perform a task set for 
no other human hands, to baptize in water the Son of God, 

8 who had power to baptize obedient souls in holy ghost. 

The Greek word pneuma means wind, breath, disposition, 
temper, life, soul, spirit, ghost, God. In every passage that 
speaks of holy ghost baptism the preposition en is used, and 
the definite article is omitted. It is not baptism in the Holy 
Ghost, the third person in the trinity, one person being 
plunged into another ; it is baptism in a holy spirit or 
simply in holy spirit, as there is no indefinite article in 
Greek. When Elisha asks a double portion of Elijah's 
spirit, he is not seeking the personal soul of the elder prophet 
in double parts ; he simply asks to have in enlarged measure 
the general characteristics which made Elijah effective in 
the service of God. In contrast with what water can do 
for the body, divine energy accomplishes for the soul. As 
John whelmed men in the river Jordan, in the much water 
of Enon or in the springs of Bethabara, Jesus whelms them 
in his own holy dispositions, and the Holy Ghost is the 
divine agent through whom these results are wrought. This 
view meets all the demands of the text, and all the require- 



22 MARK 1 : 9, 10. 

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came 

from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John 8 in the 

Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, 

he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove 

8 Gr. into. 

ments of a sound theology. "If any man have not the 
spirit of Christ, he is none of his." 
9 Jesus came from Nazareth, which was his home for about 
thirty years, to be baptized. The place of his baptism being 
uncertain, the distance cannot be definitely determined ; but 
it was not less than forty miles. He walked, and made the 
journey alone. He regarded baptism as a matter of im- 
portance. Many have undertaken to explain why Jesus was 
baptized. They have said it was to induct him into his 
priestly office, to initiate him as the Messiah, to symbolize 
his coming death and resurrection, to set an example for his 
people. These views are simply guesses. The Scriptures 
give no specific information on the point. The ordinance 
was ordained of God ; Jesus came to do the Father's will, 
and there was no way to omit the divinely appointed rite 
without incurring the penalty of disobedience. He said : 
"Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." The 
effort to work out some minute difference between act of 
Jesus and that of any other person in obeying the will of 
God in baptism is futile. Failure to be baptized is failure 
to obey the will of God. The Greek says Jesus was bap- 
tized into the river, literally dipped into the water, or, as 
10 Paul says, buried in baptism. The fact is clear. After the 
baptism he came up out of the water. Matthew says he 
came up from the water, using a term which may mean 
from within the water or from the margin of the stream ; 
but Mark's word must mean from within, and as both speak 
of the same event, both must mean from within, or out of, 
in harmony with the idea of baptism. There can be no bap- 
tism without getting into water. 

He saw the Spirit, definitely the Spirit of God, that as- 
sumed for the occasion the form of a dove. It did not effect 
a new birth, or impart a new life. It did not make him 
the Son of God, or in any way change the nature which he 
had. It vindicated his divinity, and marked his Messiah- 
ship. "I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize in 
water said, 'Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending 
and remaining, the same is he that baptizeth in Holy Spirit.' " 
What was proof to John was also confirmation to Jesus. 
There at the opening of his public career he received the 
Holy Ghost, who descended in bodily form, and rested upon 
him. It was a reinduement of Godhood. It dispelled all 



MARK I: 10-13. 23 

descending upon him : 11 and a voice came out of the 
heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased. 
12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the 
wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days 
tempted of Satan ; and he was with the wild beasts ; and 
the angels ministered unto him. 

fear, and made him confident. A little later he appropri- 
ated to himself the words of the prophet : "The Spirit of 
the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the 
gospel," and turning to those about him, he said : "This day 

11 is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." A voice from heaven 
confirmed the testimony already given, and completed the 
identification of Jesus as the Messiah : "Thou art my be- 
loved Son," the term Son implying a Father. This is one 
of the clearest passages in proof of the trinity, Father, Son, 
Holy Ghost. 

12 Endued with the Holy Ghost, Jesus was divinely guided 
into the wilderness, place unknown. According to Matthew 
the purpose of his retirement was to be tempted of the devil. 
The Hebrew name is Satan, which is rendered in the Sep- 
tuagint by the Greek word Diabolos, meaning an accuser, 
an adversary, a spiteful foe. The etymology of the word 
suggests what is sometimes called mud-slinging. The devil 
not only leads men into sin, but he magnifies the guilt of 
their sin ; he is a calumniator, a slanderer. The entire 
record assumes that the devil is not a mere evil influence, 
but that he is a real person. His temptation of Jesus has 
been much discussed, as if it involved some deep mystery. 
The word for tempt simply means to put on trial, to put to 
the test. A mouse may test the armor of a battleship by 
trying to gnaw through it with his teeth, and the ship 
usually stands the test. Satan may try to entice the Son 
of God from his high purposes, and have his trouble for his 
pains. Jesus fasted, and angels ministered ; but there is no 
indication that he struggled with the devil, or that the issue 
was at any time in doubt. Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark 
gives no details of the temptation. He alone mentions the 

13 wild beasts. The beasts are designated by the term used 
in the Revelation to indicate those agents of destruction 
which attended famine and sword in their fell work after the 
opening of the fourth seal. In other chapters of the Revela- 
tion beasts appear as symbols of evil powers. In the scenes 
of the temptation the devil and the beasts make a strong- 
combination. Those who think Mark needed Peter to give 
him information about matters will be puzzled to explain 
how he found out about the beasts and the ministering 
angels, seeing that Jesus had no human companionship ; 



24 MARK I: 14, 15. 

14 Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into 
Galilee, preaching the * gospel of God, 15 and saying, The 
1 Or, good tidings: and so elsewhere. 

those who believe in inspiration will have no trouble what- 
ever. 

The records nowhere set definite limits to the interval 

14 between the baptism of Jesus and the imprisonment of John. 
At most it was only a few months. After the temptation 
Jesus returned to the scenes of John's labors, and called 
several disciples, who went with him into Galilee and wit- 
nessed the beginning of his miracles at the wedding in Cana. 
Later he returned to Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, did 
wonders, talked with Nicodemus, won more disciples who 
were baptized by his followers, received the testimony of 
John and testified concerning him, then after John's arrest 
left Judea and returned to Galilee, passing through the coun- 
try of Samaria, talking with the woman at Jacob's well, and 
tarrying a while in Sychar. Wherever he went, he was 

15 preaching the gospel, proclaiming the good news of the king- 
dom of God. 

The word for preaching is Jcerusson. It implies a formal 
and authoritative proclamation made by an official herald, 
who comes with dignity to deliver a message of imperial 
power. Thayer says : "Specifically used of the public proc- 
lamation of the gospel and matters pertaining to it, made 
by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the apostles and other 
Christian teachers." It does not include the performances 
of jesters and mountebanks. 

The fulfilled time is the time mentioned by the prophets 
of old. The kingdom at hand is the kingdom within reach, or 
accessible to willing souls. Much confusion has arisen con- 
cerning the kingdom of God through lack of definition and 
discrimination. A kingdom is a king's domain, a realm over 
which there operates a system of laws that express the au- 
thority and will of a king. There are different classes of 
divine laws — natural, moral, spiritual ; and there are differ- 
ent realms over which they operate respectively. From 
these facts the word kingdom necessarily has different uses 
in the Bible. In the absolute God is King eternal, immortal, 
invisible, ruling to the utmost limits of created things, 
angels, principalities, powers being subject to him. In this 
use of the term his kingdom includes the universe, as it is 
written : "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, 
and his kingdom ruleth over all." With equal propriety 
one may take a narrower view of the divine sway, and say : 
"God is a great King over the earth." This is the extent 
of the term in the saying: "The Son of Man shall send 



MARK I: 15. 25 

time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent 
ye, and believe in the a gospel. 

1 Or, good tidings: and so elsewhere. 

forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom 
all things that offend." There is also a sense in which the 
chosen people constitute a kingdom of God, as it is written : 
"The Lord shall reign over you." The individual soul is a 
domain over which Jehovah has a right to rule, and in this 
use of the words, "The kingdom of God is within you." 
There is a heavenly realm, wherein the kingdom of God has 
already come, as it is destined to come in all the earth, and 
it is a kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world 
for those that love the Lord. In addition to these uses of 
the term, which are easily distinguished, there is yet another 
usage. Daniel speaks of a kingdom set up by the God of 
heaven, destined to break in pieces and consume all other 
kingdoms, and stand forever. In the preaching of Jesus, as 
here set forth, the kingdom of God has this scope. It is 
organized religion, the set up kingdom, now made available 
through the preaching of the gospel. As ministers of the 
same gospel John and Jesus bring the same message : "The 
kingdom is at hand." 

Preaching the gospel of the kingdom Jesus calls men to 
repent. Two Greek words are rendered into English by the 
word repent. These are metamelomai and metanoeo, the 
first being more emotional, the second more intellectual. In 
the New Testament the first occurs six times : in recording 
the assurance that God will never regret the decree which 
makes Jesus a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, 
in expressing Paul's regret, which ceased to be a regret, over 
making the Corinthians sorry with a letter, or the regret of 
Judas, which culminated in suicide, or in recording the feel- 
ings of the first son whom the father called into his vine- 
yard, and the lack of a similar feeling on the part of the 
priests and elders, who had no regret over their course toward 
Jesus. The word is not used in the imperative, as it is use- 
less to command men to feel regret or sorrow ; and it is 
nowhere used in instructing men to repent, as a means of 
entering the kingdom of God. The command to repent is 
expressed in the word metanoeo. Literally, it expresses the 
act by which one deliberately changes his mind, because 
stable and sufficient reasons for the change have been pre- 
sented. In the gospel the word demands a transition from 
a state of opposition and disobedience to a state of harmony 
and submission. The kindred noun is metanoia, a term 
which means a new state of mind, such as comes to one 
who has seen the error of a previous course, and has turned 



26 MARK I: 16, 17. 

16 And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon 
and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea ; 
for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come 
ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 

therefrom ready to walk in a better way, so soon as it is 
disclosed. It is not weeping or mourning, though it may be 
preceded by such exercises ; it is turning with full purpose 
of heart. 

It is further required that men believe the gospel, the 
specific phrase being peculiar to Mark. As a mental process 
believing the gospel is not different from believing the truth 
in any other realm. The different results arise not from a 
difference in the believing, but from a difference in the things 
believed. The truth as it is in Jesus is the truth that makes 
men free from sin and condemnation. 

The instruction to repent and believe indicates the psy- 
chological relation between repentance and faith, as the 
gospel uses these terms. Sin being the transgression of 
God's law, repentance primarily has reference to God, while 
faith that saves is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such 
being the case, true penitence may exist where the gospel 
of salvation has never been preached. Cornelius was a true 
penitent before he ever heard the gospel. Conscious of his 
sin, anxious to be absolved from guilt, willing to yield him- 
self up to the will of God, he was yet ignorant of what was 
required, and unable to believe on him of whom he had not 
heard. When he heard the gospel, he at once believed. Paul 
testified repentance toward God, and faith toward the Christ. 
Ordinarily, however, the knowledge of sin and the knowledge 
of the remedy are simultaneous ; simultaneous also are the 
mental acts by which one repudiates sin and accepts Jesus 
as the Saviour. 

16 Jesus saw Simon and Andrew ; but it was not his first 
meeting with them. Those men were among the throngs 
that attended upon the x ministry of John the Baptist ; they 
accepted Jesus as the Christ, but took up their usual voca- 
tion as fishermen. There by the sea Jesus called them to 
the ministry or to preparation therefor, promising to make 

17 them fishers of men. They were mature men with an earnest 
purpose to learn, and they were under his instruction for 
more than two years. The mere call was not sufficient ; they 
needed instruction, as does every man who is called to preach 
the unsearchable riches of Christ. They could be disciples 
at their nets ; but in view of the great work of the ministry 

1 John 1 : 40, 41. 



MARK 1 : 18-21. 27 

18 And straightway they left the nets, and followed him. 

19 And going on a little further, he saw 9 James the son of 
Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat 
mending the nets. 20 And straightway he called them : and 
they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired 
servants, and went after him. 

21 And they go into Capernaum ; and straightway on the 
9 Or, Jacob. 

18 they forsook nets, business, everything, to prepare for the 
nobler work. It demanded preparation. 

So far as the record shows, the preachers of the New 
Testament were all called to the work. "There was a man 
sent from God, whose name was John." After a night of 
prayer, Jesus sent forth the twelve to preach. In much the 
same way the seventy were called. Paul was a chosen vessel 
to bear the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth. To the 
church at Antioch the Spirit said : "Separate me Barnabas 
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." 
Beautiful homes and good salaries were not the fashion then, 
and only a holy coercion impelled men to take up the work. 

19 At that time James was better known than his brother, 
John being distinguished as the brother of James, who was 
the first of the apostles to close his career. Only Mark made 
mention of the hired servants in the employ of Zebedee. 

20 Ship, nets, trade, father, all were left for the work to which 
the Lord called them. 

21 In Jewish life the synagogue was a late institution. It 
was not known in Old Testament times, though the word 
erroneously appears once in the King James version of the 
psalms. From the beginning there were altars to which in- 
dividuals brought their offerings ; but for generations there 
was in all the earth no place where the general public as- 
sembled to worship God. In the fullness of the time God 
said : x "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell 
among them." That sanctuary was succeeded by the temple, 
which became the center of Jewish life. "When the disper- 
sion of the Jews came, they were impelled to provide other 
places of worship, and so the synagogue sprang up in every 
place to which the tribes were scattered. When the temple 
was rebuilt by permission of Cyrus, synagogues continued ; 
and even in Jerusalem they multiplied, until the number 
reached four hundred. To Jesus and the people of his time 
the synagogue was a familiar institution ; he frequented the 
synagogue, worshiping, working miracles, teaching. 

The manner of his teaching was different from that of the 
scribes. Scribes had no authority. 2 Out of Zebulon came 
1 Ex. 25 : 8. 2 Judges 5 : 14. 



28 MARK I: 21-24. 

sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 
And they were astonished at bis teaching: for he taught 
them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And 
straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an 
unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, What have we 

they that handle the writer's pen. They wrote documents 
of state and letters of kings. When Jerusalem was taken 
by Nebuchadnezzar, a noted scribe was killed. Later the 
office of scribe advanced in importance, and was ranked 
among the learned professions. Under the Persian dominion 
the scribe, rather than the priest or Levite, represented the 
religious life of the people, and inspired the hope of a genu- 
ine revival in godliness. Ezra was a scribe of the law, 
whose heart was prepared to know the will of God and to 
teach his statutes. Gradually the scribe assumed or was 
assigned the work of guarding the Scriptures against change ; 
and he did his work with scrupulous care. Missing the 
spirit and striving for the letter, the scribe degenerated into 
a mere juggler of words, who made void the truth through 
his traditions. His teaching became perfunctory in manner, 
frivolous in matter, destitute of force or freshness, occupied 
with the length of fringes, the breadth of phylacteries, the 
color of tassels, the washing of cups and platters, the tithing 

22 of mint and anise and cummin. The contrast between him 
and Jesus was enough to impress the people. 

23 There was a man with an unclean spirit. It was not a 
mere fancy born of superstition, but an awful reality, a 
human soul dominated by a spirit of malice and mischief. 
Early in the history of the race the power of evil spirits 
was known, and men sacrificed unto demons rather than 
God. Lying spirits sometimes entered into the prophets of 
the Lord. In early Greek writings one thus possessed was 
said to be demonized, or put under the power of a demon. 
Josephus also recognized the condition as existing in his 
day, but considered the demons the souls of departed sinners. 
Jesus proceeded upon the assumption that men were really 
possessed. He distinguished between the act of healing the 
sick and that of casting out demons. He also distinguished 
between the demons and the persons whom they possessed, 
addressing each respectively as a separate personality. Some- 
times the demons spoke, and showed uncommon knowledge. 
Under divine constraint they abandoned their hold on men, 
or with divine permission they entered into hogs. They 
have not gone out of business ; they still possess both men 
and beasts. 

24 He cried out, using the plural, as if speaking for himself 
and his victim, or for himself and other demons : "What 



MARK I: 24-26. 29 

to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to 
destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of 
God. 25 And Jesus rebuked 1 him, saying, Hold thy peace, 
and come out of him. 26 And the unclean spirit, 2 tearing 
1 Or, it. 2 Or, convulsing. 

have we to do with thee?" It was a cry of recognition, 
aversion, dread. Jesus and the demon belonged to different 
kingdoms, and had nothing in common : "We unclean, thou 
the Holy One of God." The contrast was impressive. 

25 "Hold thy peace." It is the language of stern rebuke. 
Jesus does not desire the testimony of demons. He has 

26 friends to witness for him. The demon screams in impotent 
rage, protests against the authority that constrains him, 
shakes his victim in violence, but comes out just the same. 
He is obliged to. 

In Mark's record this is the first of what are called the 
miracles of Jesus. A miracle is difficult to define. Two 
Greek words are ordinarily rendered into English by the 
word miracle. These are dunamis, from which comes the 
word dynamite, and semeion, which is properly rendered by 
the word sign. In its broadest application dunamis stands 
for the power which belongs to any object by virtue of its 
own nature. The Scriptures speak of the dunamis of Elijah 
promised to John the Baptist, the dunamis of an endless 
life, the dunamis of the sun shining in his strength, the 
dunamis of kings given to the symbolic beast, and of the 
dunamis divine. In every case it means some form of 
power, but only such power as naturally belongs to the 
object from which it springs ; and it indicates divine power 
only when it refers to God. 

The word semeion is equally indefinite. Primarily it 
means that by which one person or thing is distinguished 
from another. The kiss of Judas was a sign to those with 
whom he had bargained to betray the Lord. A babe wrapped 
in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger was a sign to the 
wise men. Paul's signature with his own hand was a sign 
of the genuineness of his letters. Circumcision was a sign 
of the covenant with Abraham. Moses was authorized to 
give two signs of his authority in Egypt : the rod turned 
into, a serpent, and the leprous hand, and those were fol- 
lowed by other signs. The dream of the barley cake was a 
sign of the coming victory. The two men at Rachel's 
sepulchre and the three men going to Bethel with kids, 
loaves and wine, were signs of Saul's selection as king over 
Israel. The rent altar at Bethel and the reversed dial at 
Jerusalem were signs in their respective places. The works 
of Jesus, which made so little impression on multitudes, were 



30 MARK I: 26-29. 

him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And 
they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among 
themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with au- 
thority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they 
obey him. 28 And the report of him went out straightway 
everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. 

29 And straightway, 3 when they were come out of the 
synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, 

3 Some ancient authorities read when he was come out of the 
synagogue, he came, etc. 

signs to Nicodemus : "We know that thou art a teacher come 
from God ; for no man can do these signs that thou doest, 
except God be with him." 

Jesus sometimes appealed to his works ; but he never 
spoke of them as prodigies, and only once did he use the 
word sign. He went about doing good, relieving all that 
were oppressed of the devil ; but it was for the sake of bring- 
ing relief, and not for the astonishment that would ensue. 
He wrought his cures in private, or requested that they be 
not reported. He did not make them a test of his Messiah- 
ship ; on the contrary, he said : "There shall arise false 
Christs and false prophets, and they shall show signs and 
wonders." 

At most what is called a miracle is a concession to weak- 
ness, an appeal to obstinacy and unbelief : "A wicked and 
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign." Faith does not 
need it. Snow and hail and stormy wind fulfill his will, 
whether with or without a word. He healeth all our dis- 
eases, no more with a touch than without it. He giveth to 
all life and breath ; and in the ' eyes of faith it is no more 
wonderful when the widow's son or the ruler's daughter are 
restored to life, than when countless millions are kept on 
the stage of action. With a word he stopped the storm on 
Galilee, and he has stopped every storm that has ever swept 
the earth. To divine power one deed is as easy as another ; 
but sometimes the dullness of man fails to perceive the 
divine hand. 

27 They were amazed. They had noted his authority in teach- 
ing ; then they observed it in his dealings with demons. They 
had known men in subjection to demons ; but the man Jesus 
made demons subject. As they passed from the synagogue, 

28 they talked over the two points. His fame spread not only 
in Galilee, but in all the surrounding country. 

29 Out of the synagogue they passed into the house of Andrew 
and Peter, the language implying joint ownership, James 
and John being guests with Jesus. Contrary to the Romish 



MARK I: 29-35. 31 

with 4 James and John. 30 Now Simon's wife's mother lay 
sick of a fever ; and straightway they tell him of her : 31 
and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; 
and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 

32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto 
him all that were sick, and them that were 5 possessed with 
demons. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the 
door. 34 And he healed many that were sick with divers 
diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not 
the demons to speak, because they knew him 6 . 

35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose 
up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there 

4 Or, Jacob. 

5 Or, demoniacs. 

6 Many ancient authorities add to be Christ. See Lk. 4 : 41. 

idea of what is proper for a minister, Peter was a married 
preacher. God saw that it was not good for the man to be 
alone, and he made no exception of ministers of the gospel. 
The family consisted of Andrew and Peter, Peter's wife and 

30 her mother. The last was sick. Writers differ in the details 
of her cure, but there is no contradiction. Matthew says he 

31 touched her hand. Mark says he came, and took her by the 
hand, and lifted her up. Luke says he stood over her, and 
rebuked the fever. He did all that is reported of him. The 
result was immediate, and complete. She arose, and min- 
istered unto them. Healing, whether physical or spiritual, 
ought to be followed by service. 

32 At sunset the sabbath closed, and devout Jews were at 
liberty to work without violating the letter of the law. 
Wickedness abounded, and demons found a congenial atmos- 

33 phere, while many forms of disease prevailed. Many needed 
healing. Multitudes were brought together, more than could 
get into the house, and they crowded and scrambled about 

34 the door. Jesus was moved with compassion. He healed 
diseases, and cast out demons ; but again he forbade the 
conquered demons to testify concerning him. Like Simon 
the sorcerer, they had no part in proclaiming the good news 
of his power. 

35 Jesus thus worked until after sundown ; before day he 
arose for secret prayer. He went alone. Prayer is not 
simply beggary; it is communion with God. The details of 
prayer, its philosophy, its times and methods, its practical 
results, all have been matters of discussion ; but there is no 
question about the fact of prayer. While men slept, Jesus 
prayed. He prayed before the multitude at the grave of 
Lazarus. He prayed in the presence of his disciples, and 



32 MARK I: 35-43. 

prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him fol- 
lowed after him ; 37 and they found him, and say unto him, 
All are seeking thee. 38 And he saith unto them, Let us go 
elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also ; 
for to this end came I forth. 39 And he went into their 
synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out 
demons. 

40 And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, 7 and 
kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, 
thou canst make me clean. 41 And being moved with com- 
passion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and 
saith unto him, I will ; be thou made clean. 42 And straight- 
way the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean, 
43 and he 8 strictly charged him, and straightway sent him 

7 Some ancient authorities omit and kneeling down to Mm. 

8 Or, sternly. 

taught them the manner of prayer. He took Peter and 
James and John, and went apart from the crowd to pray. 
On the mountain he prayed alone. 

36 When men awoke to the fact that he was not with them, 

37 they missed him, sought him, found him, told him of the 

38 waiting throngs. He had other plans. The next towns also 
needed his ministry. His commission was not limited to 

39 one place. He came for the world. He preached and 
worked miracles in all Galilee. 

40 A leper sought healing. As mentioned by Luke, the place 
was in one of the cities. Many diseases had been cured, and 
many demons expelled. That was the first case of leprosy 
brought to him. It was the scaly disease, the term being 
derived from the Greek lepra, a scale. It affected the skin, 
and was offensive, malignant, stubborn, almost incurable by 
human skill. From the time of the Egyptian captivity it 
was frequent in Israel. In the 13th and 14th chapters of 
Leviticus the law made elaborate provision for it. In the 
beginning of the malady the victim was required to stand 
afar off, and cry : "Unclean, unclean ;" but when the dis- 
ease affected the whole person, the requirement ceased. The 
man was full of leprosy, and so was permitted to come near. 
He knelt in reach of an outstretched hand. He had no doubt 

41 of the Lord's ability to bring healing : "Thou canst." His 

42 act expressed hope. He was not disappointed. Jesus touched 
him, and spoke the word of power : "I will." The healing 
was complete. 

43 Using stern and rugged terms, Jesus enjoined secrecy, but 
gave no explanation of the order. Certainly he was not 
afraid of bringing on a cataclysm of excitement, as has been 



MARK 1 : 43-45—11 : 1, 2. 33 

out, 44 and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any 
man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy 
cleansing the things which Moses 9 commanded, for a testi- 
mony unto them. 45 But he went out, and began to publish 
it much, and to spread abroad the x matter, insomuch that 
2 Jesus could no more openly enter into 3 a city, but was 
without in desert places : and they came to him from every 
quarter. 

2 And when he entered again into Capernaum after 
some days, it was noised that he was i in the house. 2 

Lev. 13 : 49 ; 14 : 2 ff. - Gr. he. i Or, at home. 

1 Gr. word. 3 Or, the city. 

absurdly suggested. With power to control legions of demons 
he was hardly powerless before an onrushing mob. He was 
not trying to protect himself against a notoriety that would 
bring throngs of ailing men into his presence, for he was 
going to do good. His injunction of silence indicated that 
he did not regard miracles as the important part of his 
work. He did not wish his reputation as a teacher to be 
overshadowed by that of a thaumaturgist. He appealed to 
conscience and intellect rather than to superstition. "Greater 
works than these shall ye do." He came not to destroy, but 

44 to fulfill ; and he sent the healed man to offer sacrifice ac- 
cording to the law. 

45 Like many a modern beneficiary of divine grace, instead 
of doing what Jesus said, he thought he knew something 
better. He went out of the house, or the assembly, or the 
city, and began to blaze it abroad. To be the subject of such 
a cure was a distinction, and vanity may have prompted 
him. He may have been moved by pity for other sufferers 
to whom he desired to make known the possibility of cure. 
Whatever his motives, his act was base disobedience and 
rank ingratitude. He received physical cure, but he did 
not come under the authority of Jesus. He got his wish, 
but he ignored the wish of his benefactor. He owed much, 
but paid nothing. He was healed, but not saved. "He that 
loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." His disobedience 
rendered him notorious, and kept Jesus out of the city for 
a time ; but it did not thwart the divine plans. In desert 
places the Lord continued his work, as the people came unto 
him. 

1 From Capernaum to neighboring towns, then farther out 
into Galilee, after some days back to Capernaum, mentioned 
by Matthew as his own city, the chief place of his residence 
-3— 



34 MARK II: 2-5. 

And many were gathered together, so that there was no 
longer room for them, no, not even about the door : and he 
spake the word unto them. 3 And they come, bringing unto 
him a man sick of the palsy, borne of four. 4 And when 
they could not 5 come nigh unto him for the crowd, they 
uncovered the roof where he was : and when they had broken 
it up, they let down the 6 bed whereon the sick of the p>alsy 
lay. 5 And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of 

5 Many ancient authorities read bring Mm unto him. 

6 Or, pallet. 

2 after he left Nazareth. So soon as his presence became 
known, crowds gathered, more than could get into the house ; 
and they assembled about the door. There were present 
Pharisees and teachers of the law from the surrounding 
country and from Jerusalem. The interest was extensive 
and profound. He preached the word of truth. Then, as 
now, preaching was an oral proclamation of the gospel of 
salvation. 

3 As Jesus preached, a company approached, four men bear- 
ing a paralytic for the purpose of getting him healed. Mat- 
thew, Mark, Luke, each use a different word for the stretcher 
on which the man lay. Matthew has Mine, the usual word 
for bed, from which comes the term clinic; Luke has 
Jclinidion, indicating a little bed suitable for one person ; 
Mark has kraoattos, Latin grabatus, meaning a camp pallet, 
suitable for a soldier to carry with his luggage. The three 
relate the same incident, and each writing independently 
selects the term that suits his conception of the case. By 

4 reason of the crowd these friends of the paralytic are not 
able to get so near as they wish, but they find a way to ac- 
complish their worthy purpose. Questions about the height 
of the building, the means of ascent, the slope and con- 
struction of the roof, or the danger to persons below, are 
not to the point. The record is clear. They went on the 
house top, and let couch and man down through the roof 
into the presence of Jesus. It was a simple, but energetic, 
performance. It showed what earnest men could do. Peo- 
ple were too much engrossed in what Jesus was saying, or 
too much interested in the outcome, to offer objection to the 
marring of property. 

The four friends did not have the faith of the centurion, 
who said : "Speak the word only ;" but they had faith enough 
to believe he could heal a man at short range, and zeal 

5 enough to overcome the difficulties. People saw their works ; 
Jesus saw their faith, not only of the four, but of the five. 
He addressed the paralytic affectionately. On the lips of 



MARK II: 5-11. 35 

the palsy, 7 Son, thy sins are forgiven. 6 But there were 
certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their 
hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak? he blaspbemeth : 
who can forgive sins but one, even God? 8 And straightway 
Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within 
themselves, saith unto them, Why reason ye these things in 
your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the sick of the 
palsy, Thy sins are forgiven ; or to say, Arise, and take up 
thy 8 bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the 
Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith 
to the sick of the palsy), 11 I say unto thee, Arise, take up 
7 Gr. Child. 8 Or, pallet. 

Jesus the language implied that the affliction was the result 
of some special sin, the memory of which plunged the sinner 
into despondency and shame : "Son, cheer up ; thy sins are 
forgiven thee." Forgiveness is remission, the same Greek 
word being translated by either term. Faith, which implies 
repentance, is the condition of forgiveness. Jesus saw his 
faith, healed his infirmity, forgave his sins. Both the heal- 
ing and the forgiveness were real, the first making him able 
to obey the command of Jesus, the second making him 
willing. 

6 The scribes sitting in the company, critical, but not hos- 
tile, see the point. Sin is an offense against God, a violation 
of divine law ; and only God can grant forgiveness, or the 
remission of penalty. On the lips of mere man such words 
as Jesus uttered are rightly classed as blasphemy. To blas- 
pheme is to utter false and injurious words against one, 
especially against God. The words of Jesus in pronouncing 

7 forgiveness of sins do assume the prerogatives of Jehovah. 
As the scribes do not admit that Jesus is the Son of God, 
having divine rights in himself, they see in his claim to grant 

8 forgiveness a reproach upon God's holy name. With super- 
nal insight Jesus understands the workings of their minds, 

9 and gives the matter a different turn : "Which is easier to 
say, Sins are forgiven, or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, 
and walk?" The argument is that between the two courses 
indicated, they are disturbed over the one that is really 
easier for him. It is one thing to say, "Sins are forgiven," 
when no one can disprove it ; it is quite another to say, 
"Arise, and walk," when all can see if it comes to pass, while 
the power to accomplish either is essentially the same. 
Skill may use means to effect a cure, but only divine power 
can effect it immediately, and such power is able to impart 

10 forgiveness. In either healing or forgiving it is not saying, 

11 but doing ; and Jesus is equal to both, the thing that is 



36 MARK II: 11-14. 

thy 8 bed, and go unto thy house. 12 And he arose, and 
straightway took up the 8 bed, and went forth before them 
all ; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, 
saying, We never saw it on this fashion. 

13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the 
multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. 14 And 
as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheeus sitting at 
the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he 
arose and followed him. 

8 Or, pallet. 

visible to the eye being the proof of the thing that is in- 
visible. 

Son of man is a phrase used in Ezekiel many times to 
designate the messenger of God ; in the gospels it is used 
of Jesus almost as many. It means that Jesus is the full 
representative of all mankind, a Saviour for the whole world. 
He has power both to heal and to forgive. The forgiven 
soul is the obedient soul. "If a man love me, he will keep 

12 my words." Blessed both in body and soul, this man immedi- 
ately sets about to do the will of the Lord, passing out 
before them all, and going to his house, glorifying God. The 
whole occurrence produces great amazement ; but if there is 
objection, it is drowned in the general chorus of praise. 

13 On the way from the city to the seaside, the usual crowd 

14 following, Jesus called Levi, otherwise styled Matthew, who 
became an apostle, and wrote the gospel which is attributed 
to him. Levi Matthew was a Jew by birth, the name Levi 
coming down from the third son of Jacob, Matthew meaning 
a gift from God. He was a publican under the Roman 
government. In Rome publicans were persons who provided 
the public revenue, sometimes advancing it out of their own 
private fortune with the privilege of reimbursement ; and at 
home they were persons of honorable rank. As the empire 
extended, these prosperous citizens delegated the work of 
collecting the taxes to others, who paid a stated sum for 
the privilege, and then made collection much as they could. 
Under such a system the publican, never very popular, in- 
evitably became an oppressor. Abuses in the provinces were 
almost intolerable. In Judea and Galilee there were special 
aggravations. Many Jews regarded the payment of any 
form of tribute as a disgrace, and the odium of the act was 
deeper when the publican was a Jew. By some of the 
rabbis publicans were classed with murderers and robbers, 
and in some cases the classification was just. 

So far as known, that was the first meeting between Jesus 



MARK II: 15-17. 37 

15 And it came to pass, that be was sitting at meat in 
his house, and many 9 publicans and sinners sat down with 
Jesus and his disciples : for there were many, and they fol- 
lowed him. 16 And the scribes 2 of the Pharisees, when they 
saw that he was eating with the sinners and 9 publicans, 
said unto his disciples, 2 How is it that he eateth 3 and drink - 
eth with 9 publicans and sinners? 17 And when Jesus heard 
it, he saith unto them, They that are 4 whole have no need 
of a physician, but they that are sick : I came not to call 
the righteous, but sinners. 

9 That is, collectors or renters of Roman taxes. 

1 Some ancient authorities read and the Pharisees. 

2 Or, He eatetli . . . sinners. 

3 Some ancient authorities omit and drinlceth. 
* Gr., strong. 

15 and Levi. Jesus said : "Follow me." Immediately there 
was a change from indifference to interest, from his own 
will to the Lord's will. Levi yielded. He obeyed. He left 
all to follow, as must every man that follows Jesus. In 
honor of his new friend, and in joy over his new purposes 
in life, he spread a feast, Jesus and his disciples being 
guests with other friends. Some of Levi's friends, who were 
connected with the Roman government, disregarded the cere- 
monial law, and were regarded by the Jews as preeminent 

16 sinners, whose touch brought pollution. Scribes of the Phari- 
sees, as there were scribes of other sects, chiefly the Sad- 
ducees, expected any one making Messianic claims to be 
very circumspect. A Pharisee, whether scribe or not, would 
not enter into the house of a publican, or recline at table 
with one of another nation ; but he could stand without, and 
watch. Some of those gathered about the door of Levi's 
house saw Jesus reclining at table with that assembly of 
publicans and sinners ; and to disciples, who were in hear- 
ing, they made the sneering observation : "He eateth with 
publicans and sinners." To them it was conclusive evidence 
of his lack of discernment, and lack of holiness. 

17 Jesus heard and respected the criticism. It was sincerely 
made, and sincerely and effectively met by an illustration. 
He was with people who needed him. Well people do not 
need a doctor ; sick people do. The righteous man does not 
need a Saviour ; the sinner does. "I came not to call the 
righteous." He did not mean to say that there were any 
such, but that such were not included in his plans ; if the 
Pharisees considered themselves such, they would not seek 
his services. Even yet men do not come to Jesus, until they 
feel the need of deliverance from sin. 



38 MARK II : 18, 19. 

18 And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting: 
and they come and say unto him, Why do John's disciples 
and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast 
not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the B sons of the 
bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as 
5 That is, companions of the bridegroom. 

18 And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, the 
opening conjunction suggesting that the question arose at 
Levi's feast, and the tense indicating customary action. 
Fasting was an ancient custom. The old Persians made it 
a prominent feature in the worship of Mithras. Some sects 
of the Asiatics held that by the starving of the body the 
soul was purified. In Egypt fasting was required of all 
who sought initiation into the mysteries of Isis and Osiris. 
The Greeks made the third day of the Eleusinian celebration 
a day of fasting; and those who consulted the oracle of 
Trophimus were required to abstain from food for four and 
twenty hours. In Siam the seasons of the new moon and 
the full moon were especially dedicated to fasting. Moham- 
med required fasting until the going down of the sun during 
their ninth month. The law of Moses seems to appoint a 
national fast for the day of atonement, though there is some 
doubt about it. Prophets sometimes called the nation to 
acts of humiliation, including fasting ; but they nowhere ap- 
pointed an individual fast. Under a rigid ritualism, which 
always indicates decaying spirituality, fasting became com- 
mon in Israel. The Pharisees fasted, and mentioned it to 
their credit. Trained under Pharisaic influences the dis- 
ciples of John took up the custom, though nothing in the 
teaching of John required it. 

"Thy disciples fast not." Why? The question is perti- 

19 nent and practical. Jesus answers with two illustrations, 
the first setting forth a principle, the second recording a 
fact. "Can the sons of the bride chamber fast, while the 
bridegroom is with them?" Can the guests at a wedding 
fast, when it is time to feast? The effort to make this a 
special reference to Jesus, as the bridegroom soon to depart, 
with an implication that fasting was to be set up after his 
departure, misses the point. The principle is broader than 
any individual case. The teaching is that fasting regulates 
itself, and cannot be regulated by the almanac or by any 
external authority. Whenever the bridegroom is present, it 
is a time for feasting rather than fasting. An appointed 
fast is an appointed folly. Abstinence from food for the 
purpose of winning divine favor, when one is conscious of 
hunger and able to eat, is a reflection on the divine char- 
acter, as refusal to partake of a wedding feast is a reflection 



MARK II: 19-22. 39 

long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot 
fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall 
be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that 
day. 21 No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an 
old garment : else that which should fill it up taketh from it, 
the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. 22 And 
no man putteth new wine into old 8 wine-skins ; else the wine 
will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins: 
but tJiey put new wine into fresh wine-skins. 
6 That is, slcins used as "bottles. 

on the host. "Meat commendeth us not to God ; for neither 
if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we 
the worse." 

20 Yet shall every man have his days of fasting ; days ap- 
pointed by no prelate or priest, and regulated by waxing or 
waning moons, but days set in the counsels of God, and 
proclaimed by the heart's voice ; days when the bridegroom 
shall be taken away, and every child of the bride chamber 
shall say : "I am like a pelican of the wilderness, an owl of 
the desert, a sparrow alone upon the house top. My heart 
is smitten and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat 
my bread." When sickness invades the home, and the pulse 
of love flutters under stress of disease, thoughts of feasting 
seem profane, and a sense of fullness repels the call to eat. 
Interest in a great cause may induce abstinence from food, 
but abstinence never induces interest. 

21 A second reason why the Lord's disciples do not observe 
appointed fastings is disclosed in a fact which shows its 
positive detriment, as illustrated in the story of the old 
garment and the new cloth, and the old bottles and the new 

22 wine. Some expositors are so interested in the physical 
facts that they forget to make the spiritual application to 
the question at issue. The new and unshrunken cloth sewed 
to the old garment shrinks up, and in shrinking tears the 
garment along the seam, so making a bigger hole ; the new 
wine fermenting in the old leathern bottle bursts the bottle, 
which being old and crusty is incapable of stretching under 
the pressure of the fermentation. Such are the physical 
facts, and the spiritual lesson is so clear that he who runs 
may read. The Christian dispensation is not patched on to 
the old garment, which was woven out of heathen fancies 
and Jewish traditions. The new wine of the gospel is not 
put into the old bottles of a dry ritualism. The Abrahamic 
covenant, the Levitical rites, the Aaronic robes, the Phari- 
saic fasting, the hollow ceremonials of a dead formalism have 
no place in a living Christianity. 



40 MARK II: 23-26. 

23 And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath 
day through the grainfields ; and his disciples 7 began, as 
they went, to pluck the ears. 24 And the Pharisees said 
unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that 
which is not lawful? 25 And he said unto them, 8 Did ye 
never read what David did, when he had need, and was 
hungry, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he en- 
tered into the house of God 9 when Abiathar was high priest, 

7 Gr. began to make their way plucking. 8 1 S. 21 : 6. 

9 Some ancient authorities read in the days of Abiathar the 
the high, priest. 

According to other writers some time elapsed between 
Matthew's feast and the incidents of the grain fields, corn 

23 being a general term for any kind of grain. Jesus and his 
disciples passed along some road skirted by a grain field, *the 

24 season being indicated only by the state of the harvest. The 
disciples began to pluck the heads of grain, and to eat, * rub- 
bing them in their hands to separate the grain from the 
chaff. No question arose concerning the right of the dis- 
ciples to take grain from a wayside field ; in an 2 emergency 
such a course was lawful, but to the Pharisees reaping and 
threshing in the smallest way on the sabbath was a grave 
offense. By instinct and training they were quite punctil- 
ious, and they raised the question in all sincerity. 

25 Jesus met the question in the same spirit. In answer he 
appealed to history, to principle, and chiefly to his own 

26 authority. The historic incident to which he appealed, as 
recorded in 1 Samuel xxi 1 to 6, was well known to them. 
Some difficulty has been found in the statement that the 
case occurred in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and a 
good deal of figuring has been done to straighten the matter 
out, as the original record states that Ahimelech was the 
priest whom David met at Nob. The difficulty is more im- 
aginary than real, as Mark does not say Abiathar was priest 
when the incident occurred. He simply says it was in the 
days of Abiathar, who some years later became famous as a 
priest under the appointment of David. The 3 account of 
Abiathar's escape from the wrath of Saul, and his subse- 
quent service under David, is given in the records on the 
times. The identity of the priest, however, has no bearing 
on the question at issue. 

The showbread consisted of i twelve loaves set out, or 
shown, as an offering before the Lord, and renewed every 
sabbath. Apparently David and his friends entered into the 

1 Luke 6:1. 3 1 Sam. 22 : 20. 

2 Deut. 23 : 25. 4 Lev. 24 : 5. 



MARK II : 26, 27. 41 

and ate the skowbread, which it is not lawful to eat save 
for the priests, and gave also to them that were with him? 
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, 

tabernacle early on the sabbath morning just as the change 
of bread was being made. He was guilty of a double trans- 
gression, that of violating the sanctity of the sabbath and 
also the law that assigned the showbread to * the priests 
alone. It was really not a case of necessity. David and his 
friends were not starving; they were merely hungry. Jesus 
did not justify the violation of the law ; that was not the 
point of his argument. He was simply showing the Phari- 
sees their inconsistency in revering David, and at the same 
time carping at the disciples. 
The second point of his reply was a statement of prin- 
27 ciple : "The sabbath was made for man." That utterance 
lifted the sabbath above all forms of earthly authority, and 
set it among the things of God. 2 In six days the heavens 
and the earth were finished, and all the hosts of them ; and 
on the seventh God ended all his work, and rested. Oh, the 
deep and infinite calm of that first sabbath, when the crea- 
tive energies of Jehovah rested from their mysterious em- 
ploy, and found repose in upholding the universe so lately 
made ! Through all the book of Genesis, covering a period 
of more than two thousand years, there was no mention of 
a sabbath day, though there were many sabbath engage- 
ments, altars, and sacrifices, and communion with God. It 
was made for man, and man must have known its primary 
uses. When Israel entered upon the wilderness journey, 
there was 3 distinct recognition of the sabbath, as an exist- 
ing institution. When 4 the law was given, it did not insti- 
tute a sabbath, or sanctify a day ; it simply said : "Remem- 
ber the sabbath clay, to keep it holy." Already holy, it needed 
only to be kept so. It was the supreme provision of the 
Old Testament for knowing God, and finding the rest that 
came with fellowship with him. It was the clearest type of 
the rest which Jesus came to bestow in its fullness, and of 
that rest which yet remains for the people of God. In honor 
of that day the law required absolute abstinence from every 
form of labor : 5 "In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor 
thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid 
servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, 
nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." In all the law 
there was no exception, whether to till the soil or to dispense 
medicines, to cook a meal or to lead a beast away to water- 
ing. Jesus mentioned the leading of an ass to water and 

1 Lev. 24 : 9. 3 Ex. 16 : 23. 5 Deut. 5 : 14. 

2 Gen. 2 : 1, 2. * Ex. 20 : 8. 



42 MARK II : 27, 28— III : 1, 2. 

and not man for the sabbath : 28 so that the Son of man is 
lord even of the sabbath. 

3 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there 
was a man there who had his hand withered. 2 And 

the lifting of an ox out of the pit, but he was not interpret- 
ing the law ; he was simply disclosing * the hypocrisy of the 
Pharisees, who did such things and yet pretended to rever- 
ence the sabbath. He spoke of doing good on the sabbath 
day, but his word gave no license to such as did not accept 
his authority. 
28 The final appeal was to his own authority : "The Son of 
Man is lord even of the sabbath." In himself he was 
the fulfillment of all law, and indeed the only lawgiver in 
Zion. What the old law could not do, in that its demands 
surpassed the highest reach of human power, God in his in- 
finite mercy accomplished for men. 2 Sending his own Son 
in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin 
in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be ful- 
filled in those who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
spirit. In his own body on the tree Jesus met all the de- 
mands of the law for all who obey him, and in him 3 men are 
not under law, but under grace. In no case in the whole 
Bible does the word sabbath apply to a day recognized in 
the gospel dispensation. The day of Christianity is called 
*the Lord's day, and the enactments of the Old Testament 
in no wise apply to it, save to show God's mind as to the 
day of worship and rest. Not once a year, but once a week 
the stupendous fact of the Lord's resurrection is set forth in 
all the realms of Christian faith, as devout souls impelled 
by love B come together on the first day of the week to render 
special honor to the name of their Lord and King. 6 To 
the holy all days are holy. 

Some time after the incidents of the grain field, which 
1 occurred on a sabbath, Jesus entered into a synagogue on 
another sabbath day, the place being unknown. The syna- 
gogue service was not appointed by law, but it accorded 
with the purposes of the sabbath. Jesus gave public wor- 
ship the endorsement of his example. 7 He entered habitu- 
ally into the synagogue. On that occasion he saw among 
the worshipers a man with a withered 8 right hand. Beyond 
the Scripture record nothing is known of the affliction. The 

1 Luke 13 : 15. 4 Rev. 1 : 10. 7 Luke 4 : 16. 

2 Rom. 8 : 3, 4. 6 Acts 20 : 7 ; 1 Cor. 16 : 2. 8 Duke 6 : 6. 

3 Rom. 6 : 14. 6 Rom. 14 : 5 ; Tit. 1 : 15. 



MARK III: 2-5. 43 

they watched hini, whether he would heal him on the sab- 
bath day ; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto 
the man that had his hand withered, * Stand forth. 4 And 
he saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do 
good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill? But they 
held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about 
on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their 
1 Gr. Arise into the midst. 

description suggests paralysis, but does not require it. Prob- 
ably the case was well known. Certainly others in the syna- 
gogue observed it, and knew what to expect from Jesus. 

2 His x compassion always moved toward the afflicted. They 
watched him to see whether he would heal on the sabbath 
day, that they might accuse him of violating the law. The 
incidents of the grain field were in another part of the coun- 
try, and the lesson was lost on them in the distant place. 

With divine insight Jesus knew their thoughts. He al- 

3 ways 2 knew what was in man. He determined to put them 
on the defensive. Calling the afflicted man to the front, he 

4 stated the issue : "Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do 
good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill?" 

At a casual glance the alternative offered, to do good or to 
do harm, to save life or to kill, does not seem to include all 
possible courses of action. Why not do nothing, and let 
matters remain as they are? Why not wait, as so many do? 
The case is clear. When duty demands action, doing noth- 
ing is doing evil. When the opportunity comes for saving 
life, failure to save is as wicked as killing. There is such 
a thing as criminal neglect. After taking the trouble to dig 
in the earth and hide his lord's money, the 3 unprofitable 
servant did nothing ; and for his evil doing he was cast into 
outer darkness. The wretched souls that were sent away 
into 4 everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, 
did nothing : "I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat : 
I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink." Blind as the ob- 
jectors were, they understood it. They held their peace, and 
refused to meet the issue. They evaded a simple question of 
right and wrong, lest they defeat their own wicked purpose 
to oppose Jesus. The appeal to their sympathy for a man in 
affliction made no impression. 

Mark gave one of his characteristic touches, telling how 

5 Jesus looked, and what his emotions were. The Greek indi- 
cates a deliberate, searching look, as if Jesus turned his 
eyes from one to another seeking in their faces some token 

1 Mat. 9 : 36. 3 Mat. 25 : 25, 26. 

2 John 2 : 25. * Mat. 25 : 41. 



44 MARK III : 5, 6. 

heart, lie saitli unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And 
he stretched it forth ; and his hand was restored. 6 And the 
Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians 
took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. 

of sympathy, though their lips were silent. He saw only 
signs of stubborn opposition, unyielding hardness. x "God 
is angry with the wicked every day ;" and his anger moved 
within him. It was not a fitful passion, kindled by sudden 
opposition and fading with the occasion. 2 It was a deep 
and relentless anger, which burned into the lowest hell, and 
consumed the foundations of the mountains. It was anger 
mingled with grief and pity for all the woes to come upon 
a rebellious race. There was no word of censure, but a look 
of baffled love, which impressed beholders, and in after years 
found expression in the eternal Word. 

Making salve of spittle and clay, or using other physical 
means, might be accounted work ; but there was no law 
against speaking in the synagogue on the sabbath day. Jesus 
spoke to the man : "Stretch forth thy hand." How could a 
man stretch forth a hand withered and helpless at his side? 
Had the man consulted his experience, his reason, his doubts, 
his fears, his feelings, he would have received no healing or 
help. He was willing to obey, and to obey at once. Im- 
mediately he put the impulse of obedience into action ; the 
impossible thing became possible, and the helpless hand was 
stretched out sound and well. 

Willingness to do what the Lord commands, when that 
willingness is actually put into exercise, brings otherwise 
impossible things to pass. Men can repent, can believe, can 
become Christians, when they are willing to do so, and begin 
at once. 

If Jesus had delivered a moral precept, and found a ready 
response, no one would have made objection. Why object, 
if he gave a physical command? He only spoke, and it was 
done. Yet the Pharisees were offended. They could not 
6 meet his arguments ; but they could resort to violence. They 
took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy 
him. 

In only 3 three passages of Scripture are the Herodians 
mentioned. In these they do not appear as the aggressors; 
but their aid is sought by others in movements against Jesus. 
Information about them is meager. It seems that they were 
primarily a political party, rather than a religious sect. 
The Herod of Matthew ii was a son of Antipater, an 

i Psa. 7 : 11. 3 Mat. 22 : .16 ; Mark 3 : 6 ; 1 2 : 13. 

2 Deut. 32: 22. 



MARK III: 7-9. 45 

7 And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea : and 
a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Judaea, 
8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idunioea, and beyond the 
Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hear- 
ing 2 what great things he did, came unto him. 9 And he 
spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him, 
2 Or, all the things that he did. 

Idumaean, and was appointed by Caesar to rule in Judea in 
the year 47 B.C. He was a man of ability and enterprise. 
By shrewdness and tact he attained unto kingship, and was 
in power, when the * wise men came seeking for the young 
child. He founded Caesarea, improved Samaria, rebuilt much 
of Jerusalem, and restored the temple iu greater magnificence 
than it had in Solomon's time. After 2 his death his sons 
ruled as tetrarchs over his kingdom. The family in its vari- 
ous branches exerted considerable influence, and its general 
policy was always the same. The Herods continually cher- 
ished the idea of establishing an independent kingdom, in 
which a liberalized form of Jewish religion should serve as a 
bond of unity. Under the elder Herod such a consummation 
seemed possible, and the Herodians were set for that idea. 
Ordinarily the Pharisees were not friendly toward the loose 
religious views of the Herodians, but they were willing to 
have the aid of that party in devising schemes against Jesus. 
They considered it quite wrong to heal a man with a word 
on the sabbath day, but quite right to plot a man's death 
on the same holy day. A man brought to trial for murder 
on the Mexican border was asked about the crime. He said 
he committed the deed for money ; that he got twenty-five 
cents, and a lunch ; that he put the money in his pocket, ate 
the bread, and threw the meat away — it was Friday ! Scru- 
pulous about eating meat on Friday, but conscienceless about 
shedding innocent blood ! Making long prayers, but devour- 
ing widows' houses ! 

Jesus knew their evil designs, but he was not alarmed. 

7 In harmony with his plans of work he withdrew to the coast, 
where for a time he established the seat of his activities ; 

8 place not definitely designated. Crowds followed from Gali- 
lee. Later, as his fame extended, they came from Judea, in- 
cluding Jerusalem, from Idumea in the south, from Perea 
on the east of Jordan, from the regions of Tyre and Sidon, 
whither Jesus afterward went, and where he healed the 
Syrophenecian's daughter. 

9 Owing to the pressure of the crowd Jesus spoke to his 
disciples that a small ship, a boat, should wait on him, that 

*Mat. 2: 1. 2 Mat. 2: 19. 



46 MARK III: 9-15. 

because of the crowd, lest they should throng him : 10 for 
he bad healed many ; insomuch that as many as had 3 plagues 
4 pressed upon him that they might touch him. 11 And the 
unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down be- 
fore him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 
And he charged them much that they should not make him 
known. 

13 And he goeth up into the mountain, and calleth unto 
him whom he himself would; and they went unto him. 14 
And he appointed twelve, 5 that they might be with him, and 
that he might send them forth to preach, 15 and to have au- 

3 Gr. scourges. 4 Gr. fell. 

5 Some ancient authorities add whom also he named 
See Lk. 6 : 13 ; comp. ch. 6 : 30. 



10 lie might push off from the shore, and be relieved of the 
throng. It was not lack of sympathy that caused him to 
get beyond their reach. He healed them, but it was not 
necessary for them to touch him. The Greek indicates that 
they fell upon him, and so made it unpleasant for him 

11 without adding anything to their own comfort. Unclean 
spirits also felt his power, and confessed him the Son of 
God; but, as in a former instance, he did not accept their 

12 testimony. He forbade both the demons who naturally knew 
him and the men who found him out to make known his 
presence in the place, but the reason for it was not recorded. 
He straitly charged them, the language implying sternness 
of command. He had as much publicity as suited his plans. 

From the scene of activity and opposition on the coast 

13 Jesus went up into a mountain, name and location unknown. 
1 He went to pray, and continued in prayer all night. He 

14 invited certain disciples to gather about him. From the 
number he appointed twelve, the word used literally mean- 
ing to make. Luke says he chose twelve. Either term 

15 records the fact. He set them in a class by themselves to 
have special privileges and to perform special work. The 
appointment of the twelve was according to the 2 twelve 
tribes of Israel, the twelve pillars under the altar, the twelve 
stones in Aaron's breastplate, the twelve loaves on the table 
of shewbread, the twelve thrones of judgment, the twelve 
stars in the crown of the woman clothed with the sun, the 
twelve manner of fruits on the tree of life, the twelve gates 
with the twelve pearls and the twelve foundations of the 
holy city, and all in harmony with the unexplained will of 

1 Luke 6 : 12. 

2 Gen. 49 : 28 ; Ex. 24 : 4 ; Ex. 28 : 21 ; Lev. 24 : 5 ; Mat. 19 : 
28 ; Rev. 12 : 1 ; 22 : 2 ; 21 : 21, 14. 



MARK III: 15, 16. 47 

thority to cast out demons : 16 6 and Simon he surnamed 
6 Some ancient authorities insert and he appointed twelve. 

God. He called them apostles. The Greek word apostolos, 
which is brought over into English as apostle, is practically 
equivalent to the word missionary, which comes from the 
Latin, either term meaning one who is sent. In its original 
application it is used especially of persons sent on matters 
of state. Jesus uses the word in its general significance, 
when he says : 1 "An apostle is not greater than he that 
sent him." 2 Epaphroditus is called an apostle to the breth- 
ren at Philippi, because he is the messenger through whom 
Paul makes his communication. Any man who truly heeds 
the call of Jesus and goes forth in obedience to his authority 
is in true apostolic succession. 

A good deal of harmless fancy has been indulged in group- 
ing the apostles, three groups of four each, four groups of 
three each ; and with equal propriety there might be ar- 
ranged six groups of two each, or two groups of six each. 
There is, however, one group of twelve, who were sent out 
by twos. A comparison of the 3 lists, as given in Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, Acts, discloses some differences in the order of 
enumeration, and also in the names given, the latter giving 
some trouble. The revised versions of Matthew do not men- 
tion Lebbaeus, but Thaddaeus. In all the lists Peter is put 
first, and Judas last. Matthew puts Thomas' name before 
his own, but Mark and Luke put Matthew before Thomas ; 
Matthew and Luke name Andrew next to Peter ; Mark and 
Acts give him fourth place in the list. 
16 Mark assumes the appointment of Peter as an apostle, and 
simply notes the fact that Jesus gave him the surname 
petros, though he uses the indefinite past tense, which does 
not mean that the name was bestowed at the time of his 
call to apostleship. 4 When Simon first became a disciple, 
Jesus said : "Thou shalt be called Cephas," an Aramaic term 
meaning rock. Mark here refers to the fact, and uses the 
Greek equivalent for Cephas, which is petros. In the famous 
5 passage : "Upon this rock I will build my church," the 
word for rock is petra, different both in usage and in gender, 
petra being feminine, while petros is masculine. That per- 
sons of creditable scholarship should try to figure out an 
identity between petros, the apostle, and petra, the rock on 
which the church is built, especially as the same passage 

1 John 13 : 16. 

2 Phil. 2: 25. 

3 Mat. 10 : 2-4 ; Mark 3 : 16-19 ; Duke 6 : 14-16 ; Acts 1 : 13. 
* John 1 : 42. 

5 Mat. 16 : 18. 



48 MARK III: 16-18. 

Peter ; 17 and 7 James the son of Zebedee, and John the 
brother of 7 James ; and them he surnamed Boanerges, which 
is, Sons of thunder : 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bar- 
7 Or, Jacob. 

assigns the apostle the place of butler : "I will give unto 
thee the keys of the kingdom," only shows how the greatest 
may sometimes miss the plainest truth. Simon Peter was a 
1 son of Jonah, of whom nothing is know except through his 
sons. Peter's 2 native place was Bethsaida ; later he lived 
3 in Capernaum, had a home, and was married. Not in rank, 
but in gifts and usefulness he was a leader among the early 
apostles, and their spokesman on different occasions. On 
the famous i day of Pentecost he was the chief speaker. 
Mark continues the enumeration of those who were called 

17 to be apostles : James and John, sons of Zebedee and Salome. 
James is first mentioned, as being probably the elder. The 
name comes down from the Hebrew Jacob. Later, as the 
brother rises into prominence, he is known as the brother of 
John. The two receive the surname Boanerges. It is an 
Aramaic term used only in this place, and it is difficult to 
explain. Students have reached no agreement about its im- 
port. Mark's interpretation, sons of thunder, leaves the 
matter in doubt, as the word bronte, translated thunder, 
may mean any crashing loud noise. The designation sug- 
gests, but does not demand, vehement and destructive zeal, 
such as was displayed in 5 the resentment of Samaritan in- 
hospitality, or in the demand that any who followed not with 
them should 6 desist from using the power of Jesus' name. 
In any case the name refutes the idea set forth in the so- 
called Christian art, and current in the popular mind, that 
John was a mild-eyed, effeminate sort of man. He was a 
disciple whom Jesus, loved, and was a courageous and manly 
character. James, being put to death to appease the hostil- 
ity of the Jews, is the only one of the eleven apostles whose 
end is certainly known. 

18 Andrew, a Greek name signifying manly, was 7 with John 
the Baptist in Judea ; was among his disciples, and was 
the first person mentioned as a follower of Jesus. Probably 
his greatest work was that of leading his brother Simon to 
Christ. He introduced the lad with 8 the loaves and fishes 
that fed the multitude beyond the sea ; with Philip he re- 
ported the desire of 9 certain Greeks to see Jesus at the 
feast in Jerusalem, and was 10 one of the four who sat with 



1 John 21 : 15. 


5 Luke 9 : 54. 


8 John 6:8.- 


3 Mark 1 : 29, 30. 


6 Luke 9 : 49. 


9 John 12 : 21 


2 John 1: 44. 


7 John 1 : 40, 41. 


10 Mark 13 : 3. 


* Acts 2 : 1. 







MARK III: 18. 49 

tholoinew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and T James the son 
7 Or, Jacob. 

Jesus on the Mount of Olives, when coming wonders were 
discussed. He was distinguished as the brother of Simon 
Peter. 

Philip had a Greek name. He was a 1 native of Beth- 
saida ; was called to follow Jesus 2 the day after Andrew and 
Peter were called, and went at once to bring Nathanael. To 
him 3 Jesus spoke about provisions for the multitude in the 
desert ; to him came the Greeks at the feast, his Greek name 
suggesting acquaintance, and it was he that * requested a 
sight of the Father. 

Bartholomew, the name signifying son of Tolmai, is recog- 
nized as another name for Nathanael. 5 The first three 
gospels connect Philip with Bartholomew, but make no men- 
tion of Nathanael ; the fourth connects Philip with Na- 
thanael, but makes no mention of Bartholomew. It is an 
easy inference that the two names belong to the same person. 
Bartholomew Nathanael is a trophy of Philip's fidelity, 6 an 
Israelite in whom, there is no guile ; but there is no account 
of any labor that he performed in the service of the Lord. 
He was 7 with the disciples on the lake, when Jesus appeared 
to them after his resurrection. 

Matthew was converted, as related in the 14th verse of the 
preceding chapter. His chief work was in writing the book 
that bears his name. 

Thomas is mentioned by Mark, also by Matthew and 
Luke, only in the list of apostles. The fact that his name 
is mentioned with Matthew's, and that the name itself means 
a twin, has been taken as an intimation that he was a twin 
brother of Matthew ; but at most it is only an intimation. 
In popular esteem Thomas is rated as a doubter. He is 
rather a dullard. He is s slow of belief ; and his slowness, 
coupled with the fact that he is at last convinced, makes 
him a more important witness for the Lord. He is dis- 
posed to 8 look at the darker side of things, but is capable of 
deep devotion and ardent love. 

James, son of Alphaeus, is 10 elsewhere called James the 
Little or the Less, referring to his age or his stature. His 
identity has been a matter of much disputation, and the 
question will never be definitely settled. Nothing depends 
on its settlement. It seems probable that he is the man 
mentioned as u the Lord's brother and the brother of Jude. 

1 John 1 : 44. G John 1 : 47. 10 Mark 15 : 40. 

2 John 1 : 43. 7 John 21 : 2. u Mat. 13 : 55. 

3 John 6:5. 8 John 20 : 25. 

4 John 14 : 8. 9 John 11 : 16 ; John 14 : 5 ; John 20 : 28. 

5 Mat. 10 : 3 ; Mark 3:18; Luke 6 : 14 ; John 1 : 45. 



50 MARK III: 18-20. 

of Alphseus, and Thaddseus, and Simon, the 8 Canansean, 19 
and Judas Iscariot, who also 9 betrayed him. 

And he cometh * into a house. 20 And the multitude com- 
eth together again, so that they could not so much as eat 

8 Or, Zealot. See Lk. 6 : 15 ; Acts 1 : 13. 

9 Or, delivered him up. x Or, home. 

In his letter Jude identifies himself as a 1 brother of 
James. A comparison of the different lists of apostles shows 
that Thaddaeus is only another name for Judas, the brother 
of James. The only incident recorded in the life of Thad- 
daeus Judas is found in the question : 2 "Lord, how is it that 
thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" 
So far as known his chief work as an apostle was in writ- 
ing the letter that bears his name. 

Simon Zelotes is called the Canansean. The designation 
does not refer to the land of Canaan, or to the city of Cana, 
as has been supposed, but it is derived from a Hebrew or 
Chaldee term meaning to be hot, equivalent to the Greek 
zelotes. Some years earlier there arose in Israel a sect fa- 
mous for its zeal in defending Jewish customs and rites. In 
some instances its adherents took the law into their own 
hands, and dealt cruel and summary punishment unto those 
whom they regarded as worthy of it. As always happens in 
such cases, they fell into violence and crime ; their unjust 
conduct reacted upon themselves, and brought ruin upon the 
cause which they undertook to defend. Simon was of that 
party. Through the power of the gospel he was redeemed, 
and was accepted as an apostle of the new faith. 

19 The name that stands last in every list of apostles is that 
of Judas Iscariot, infamous in all time as he that betrayed 
the Saviour with a kiss. The purport of the name Iscariot 
is unknown, and speculation settles nothing. His father is 
called 3 Simon Iscariot, probably indicating his nativity in 
the city of Kerioth in the land of Moab. Nothing is known 
of his call to discipleship, or of the divine motive in elevat- 
ing him to the place of an apostle ; but it is certain that 4 he 
was never a converted man, and that he in no wise deceived 
the Lord by a profession of faith, or by anything that he 
did. The Lord has a right to use a wicked man, if he 
pleases to do so. 

20 Jesus went into a house, though the phrase may mean 
simply that he went home. Again the crowds pressed upon 
him, until there was no time to eat, indicating deep interest. 
He fasted, that he might minister to the needs of others. 

1 Jude 1 : 1. 3 John 6 : 71 ; Jer. 48 : 24. 

2 John 14 : 22. 4 John 6 : 70. 



MARK III: 20-26. 51 

bread. 21 And when his friends heard it, they went out to 
lay hold on him : for they said, He is beside himself. 22 
And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem said, He 
hath 2 Beelzebub, and, 3 By the prince of the demons eastern 
he out the demons. 23 And he called them unto him, and 
said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom 
cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, 
that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan hath 
2 Gr. Beelzebul. 3 Or, In. 

Some who were friendly were absent ; they heard of his 

21 strenuous work, and they went out not to help, but to hinder. 
To their dull indifference his zeal seemed like madness, and 
they went to arrest him. Cool themselves, they wanted to 

22 cool his ardor also. There were scribes that came from Je- 
rusalem, the language implying a formal commission, and 
they said : "He hath Beelzebub." It was a combination of 
opposition, friends from Nazareth opposing because they 
considered him crazy, foes from Jerusalem opposing because 
they considered him in league with the devil. The indifferent 
and unsympathetic friend was almost as injurious to the 
work as was the zealous and avowed foe. 1 Beelzebub was 
the fly god, worshipped by the Philistines at Ekron. As 
flies were hatched out of filth, he was the filth god ; and as 
a prince of devils he was the most devilish of his tribe. The 
sneer of the scribes, that Jesus was under the power of 
Beelzebub, was an expression of the deepest contempt. 

23 Jesus shows no resentment of the foul slander uttered 
against him; but he takes notice of it, and makes answer. 
He speaks in parables, the word implying that one thing is 

24 put alongside of another for purposes of comparison : "How 
can Satan cast out Satan?" How can any power repel 
itself? In the physical realm action and reaction balance 
each other. In the realm of intelligence no power operates 

25 against its own ends. A household may abide an internal 
feud for a time, but if the feud continues, there is but one 
ending : the house must fall. The same is true in any king- 

26 dom or in any form of government. Permanent division of 
counsels and activities inevitably brings permanent over- 
throw. From this line of argument only one of two con- 
clusions is possible, and in either case the opposition of the 
scribes is groundless. Either the charge is false, and Jesus 
is not in league with the devil ; or it is true, and the devil 

1 2 Kings 1 : 2, 3, 6, 16. 



52 MARK III: 26-29. 

risen up against himself, and is divided, be cannot stand, 
but batb an end. 27 But no one can enter into the bouse of 
tbe strong man, and spoil bis goods, except be first bind tbe 
strong man; and then be will spoil his bouse. 28 Verily I 
say unto you, All their sins shall be forgiven unto the sons 
of men, and their blasphemies wherewith soever they shall 
blaspheme: 29 but whosoever shall blaspheme against the 

has gone to work against himself. Jesus is casting out 
demons in his own power, or he is casting them out in the 
power of the devil. In either case they are cast out ; and 
the good scribes have no real cause for complaint. The 
objectors feel the force of the argument, and offer no word 
of reply. 

27 In the parable of the strong man and the stronger man, 
Jesus advances a step further. Whatever Satan's strength, 
he is not stronger than himself. He may voluntarily depart 
out of a soul, as is suggested in Matthew xii 43 ; but there 
can be no pitching out, and no seizure of his possessions, 
until a stronger man arrives on the scene to bind him and 
render him helpless. The scribes confess that devils are 
cast out, and the domain of Satan spoiled ; how can they 
escape the conclusion that a stronger man has come? 
Whether they acknowledge the truth or not, Jesus is calmly 
conscious of power over the devil. Mark omits the solemn 
words recorded by Matthew and Luke : "He that is not for 
me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me 
scattereth abroad." There are only two sides to the con- 
flict, and the issue is certain. The stronger man shall at 
last conquer the strong man, and shall fling him and his 
into x chains of darkness forever. And Jesus passes on to 
discuss how close his opponents were coming to that awful 
state, from which there is no return. 

28 "All sins shall be forgiven." There is comfort in the as- 
surance, 2 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory 
of God. The hope of the sinful world is bound up in the 
doctrine of forgiveness, and when this hope dies, the soul 
confronts the abyss of despair. The possibility of guilt for 
which there is no remedy is appalling ; and yet it is written : 

29 "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath 
never forgiveness." The utterance has been clothed in 
mystery, and rendered ineffective in the lives of men, through 
misconception. It does not imply that the realm of dis- 
obedience has been equipped with a hidden mine, which is 

1 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 1 : 6. 

2 Rom. 3 : 23. 



MARK III : 29, 30. 53 

Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eter- 
nal sin : 30 because they said, He bath an unclean spirit. 

sure to explode with, deadly effect whenever the fuse is 
touched off, or that the network of temptation contains one 
live wire, while the others are relatively harmless. It does 
not mean that there is some specific act, which has been 
singled out by Jehovah, and set with the seal of his relent- 
less wrath. Unpardonable sin is not * quenching the Spirit, 
for Christians may do this without quenching the hope of 
heaven. It is not resisting the call of the Spirit, for 2 that 
is a common experience. It is not a mere accumulation of 
transgression viewed objectively, one sin following another 
until the debt becomes too large for the bounty of heaven. 
3 Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. The 
Scriptures contain no such phrase as the unpardonable sin, 
as if some special act engendered a guilt which the blood of 
Christ cannot remove. The Greek language has no indefinite 
article. When 4 John speaks of sin unto death, for which 
prayer is offered in vain, he does not say a sin, as indicating 
some specific act ; he simply says that there is sin unto 
death. It is a condition, rather than a specific act ; and it 
may be reached by any way of transgression. By any path 
of disobedience men may get so far away from God that 
they cannot come back. 
30 It was not the mere fact of saying : "He hath an unclean 
spirit." The stupid slander wrought no injury to God, or to 
Jesus, or to the Holy Spirit ; but 5 spoken out of the 
abundance of an evil heart, it showed the condition within. 
It was a state of unrelenting hatred and hostility, which 
could put light for darkness, and could attribute to the devil 
the glorious works of God. It was a condition to which the 
operations of grace did not extend ; and it indicated 6 an 
evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, and 
plunging into the abyss. It did not arise because 7 God was 
vindictive, nor because Jesus was unwilling to receive the 
penitent, nor because the blood of redemption was ineffec- 
tive. It arose because they could not comply with the condi- 
tions of forgiveness. They could not repent. s "As they 
did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them 
over to a reprobate mind, to do the things that were not 
seemly, being filled with all unrighteousness." Reeking with 
sin they reached a point from which they could not return 
unto the Lord for his mercy. 

1 1 Thes. 5 : 19. 5 Mat. 12 : 34. 

2 Acts 7 : 51. 6 Heb. 3 : 12. 

3 Rom. 5 : 20, 21. 7 Psa. 107 : 1 ; John 6 : 37 ; 1 John 1 : 7. 

4 1 John 5 : 16. s Rom. 1 : 28. 



54 MARK III: 31. 

31 And there come his mother and his brethren ; and, 

31 Upon the scene of his ardent labors come his mother and 
his brothers, some ancient manuscripts mentioning sisters 
also. Very little is known of Mary the mother of Jesus. 
She was of the 1 tribe of Judah, and a lineal descendant of 
David. Nothing is known of her parentage, or of the 
training which she had ; and it is only a matter of inference 
that she was a native of Nazareth, as there 2 the angel of 
annunciation met her. Under the influence of a dead and 
destructive formalism she has become a sort of female divin- 
ity, but the Scriptures in no wise justify such an idea. In 
the so-called Christian art, which is largely pagan, she was 
originally veiled ; but in the Sistine Madonna Raphael 
changed the style, and so it has remained. The 3 prophet 
predicts the Messiah as born of a virgin, though he gives no 
name. In reference to the prophecy 4 Matthew and Luke 
mention Mary as a virgin espoused to her husband, but in 
the Scriptures the term is nowhere applied to her after the 
birth of her son. The record that 5 she brought forth her 
first born son implies that there were other sons ; and Mat- 
thew gives their names as James and Joses, Judas and 
Simon, and refers to sisters in the plural. The effort to 
identify these half brothers and sisters as kindred of a re- 
moter degree is born out of superstition and an ignorance 
of linguistic usage. While the term adelphoi may mean 
brothers in spirit and interest, its primary and natural mean- 
ing is brothers in the flesh. Certainly 6 the Nazarenes use 
the word mother in its primary and natural sense, when they 
question: "Is not his mother called Mary?" Equally certain 
is it that they use the term brother in its primary sense, 
when they further question : "And his brothers, James, and 
Joses, and Simon, and Judas?" Yet dullness and supersti- 
tion still continue to speak of this married woman, the 
mother of at least seven children, as the virgin Mary ! 

In childhood and early years 7 Jesus was subject to Joseph 
and Mary, and was in all respects a model son ; but at no 
time did he address her as mother, even when he was ad- 
dressed as son. 8 As a boy of twelve he spoke to Joseph and 
Mary, saying : "Wist ye not that I must be about my Fa- 
ther's business," or "in my Father's house?" 9 At the mar- 
riage in Cana he seemed to resent her interference, saying : 
"Woman, what have I to do with thee?" He assumed human 

1 Isa. 11 : 1 ; Heb. 7 : 14 ; John 7 : 42. 6 Mat. 13 : 55. 

2 Luke 1 : 26. 7 Luke 2 : 51. 

3 Isa. 7 : 14. 8 Luke 2 : 49. 
* Mat. 1:18; Luke 1 : 27. 9 John 2 : 4. 

6 Mat. 1 : 25 ; Luke 2 : 7. 



MARK III : 31-35— IV : 1. 55 

standing without, they sent unto him, calling him. 32 And 
a multitude was sitting about him ; and they say unto him, 
Behold, thy mother and brethren without seek for thee. 33 
And he answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and 
my brethren? 34 And looking round on them that sat around 
about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren! 
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my 
brother, and sister, and mother. 

4 And again he began to teach by the sea side. And 
there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so 
that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea : and all the 



relations only for the sake of those higher relations which 
he came to establish; and, as if disclaiming any sort of 
human kinship, 1 he addressed her as he hung on the cross : 
"Woman, behold thy son," pointing to John, while to John 
he said : "Behold thy mother." Thenceforth she was as 
other disciples, a sinner saved by grace, glad to meet with 
other followers of the Lord after the resurrection, and await 
the Spirit's power. John took her to his own home, but he 

32 gave her no preeminence among the disciples. As others 
recognized the human relationship, and spoke of mother and 

33 brothers desiring to confer with him, he said : "Who is my 
mother, or my brethren?" 

In the higher realms physical ties do not exist. Pointing 

34 to his followers gathered about him, he says : "Behold my 

35 mother and my brethren !" Millions who are his mothers, 
and more : "Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same 
is my brother, and sister, and mother." It is not brother, 
or sister, or mother, but the three in one. As the physical 
mother of Jesus, Mary has less influence with him than the 
weakest Christian has, and less than she has as a sinner 
saved by his grace. Only ignorance and superstition turn to 
Mary for aid in the struggles against sin. The kinsfolk of 
Jesus have no special claims on his power, 2 while any Chris- 
tian is complete in him. 

1 Jesus taught by the seaside again. 3 It was on the same 
day that he discussed unpardonable sin. The opposition en- 
gendered by the scribes from Jerusalem did not break the 
force of his personal influence, and crowds followed him out 
of the city. To save himself from being jostled by the eager 
throng, and to give all a better chance to hear, he got on 
the deck of a small vessel, and shoved out a little way on 

1 John 19 : 26, 27. 2 Col. 2 : 10. 3 Mat. 13 : 1. 



56 MARK IV: 1-4. 

multitude were by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught 
them many things in parables, and said unto tbem in his 
teaching, 3 Hearken : Behold, the sower went forth to sow : 
4 and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the 

the water, while the people stood on the shore. It was an 
interesting scene, the boat gently rocking on the waves, the 
Lord standing on the deck with special friends, the listening 

2 multitudes gathered on the shore. x Earlier in the day he 
began to teach in parables, and speaking from the boat, he 
continued the same method of instruction. It was a pleas- 
ing mode of communicating the truth, containing enough of 
beauty to charm and enough of obscurity to arouse ; and it 
was common among the rabbis. 

The word parable comes direct from the Greek paralole, 
which means primarily the placing of one thing by the side 
of another. Then as a figure of speech it means the pre- 
sentation of certain physical facts to set forth corresponding 
spiritual truths, especially a story of things real or fanciful 
in the natural world to illustrate truths in the spiritual 
realm. The corresponding Hebrew term is mashal. It is 
employed 2 in the Old Testament for an illustrative com- 
parison, for a proverb, for a highly wrought expression set 
in orderly clauses, or for a deep and obscure saying. The 
New Testament usage is practically the same. The term is 
applied to 3 a brief comparison, such as might be called a 
metaphor, or to a more extended narrative, such as might be 
termed an allegory. Some expositors have classed the story 
of the rich fool, of the Pharisee and the publican, of the 
good Samaritan, or of the rich man and Lazarus, as a par- 
able ; but the Scriptures do not designate these stories as 
parables. 

3 Hearken is a form peculiar to Mark. Behold a sower 
went forth to sow, the statement forming a sort of heading 
for the parable to follow. It is the 4 parable of a sower 
whose harvest is regulated by the kind of soil into which 
the seeds are sown. The supposition that the facts recited 
were enacted before the eyes of Jesus and the auditors by 
some husbandman in an adjacent field is entirely fanciful, 
and it detracts from the force and beauty of the teaching by 

4 localizing it. The recital is quite simple. From the sower's 
hand some seeds, or grains, fell by the wayside on the beaten 
road, where the feet of travelers had packed the ground, and 

1 Mark 3 : 23. 

2 Ezek. 17 : 2 ; 1 Sam. 10 : 12 ; Job 27 : 1 ; Isa. 14 : 4 ; Psa. 
49: 4. 

3 Luke 6 : 39 ; Luke 15 : 3. 

4 Mat. 13: 18. 



MARK IV: 4-11. 57 

way side, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 And other 
fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and 
straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of 
earth : 6 and when the sun was risen, it was scorched ; and 
because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And other fell 
among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, 
and it yielded no fruit. 8 And others fell into the good 
ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and 
brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. 

9 And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with 
the twelve asked of him the parables. 11 And he said unto 

the grains were left uncovered, and were picked up by the 

5 birds. Some fell on stony ground, where the underlying- 
rock was close to the surface, so the word implies. There 
was soil enough to cover the grain from the sight of de- 

6 vouring birds, but not enough to mature a harvest, because 

7 there was not sufficient soil to give root, moisture, nourish- 
ment. Others fell among thorns, where roots of foulness lay 
concealed in the earth, a according to the original curse ; and 
those, already having some hold on the soil and being of 
hardier growth, got the start of the grain, and blighted the 

8 crop. Others fell in good ground, where neither bird, nor 
drouth, nor wild growth wrought ruin ; and in due time the 
harvest appeared iu varying measure according to the fer- 
tility of the soil. 

There is no occasion for a discussion of the fertility of 
Asiatic or African soil, or for speculation on the probability 
of a harvest of a hundredfold. The parable is not a treatise 
on agriculture, or a disquisition on the profits of farming. 
Such questions are wide of the Lord's purposes. They in- 

9 dicate a spirit of trifling, or a lack of ears to hear, the 
phrase meaning either the equipment needed for hearing, or 
the disposition to hear, or both. 

10 When he withdrew from the place of public assembly, and 
was alone with his disciples, including the twelve, they asked 
him: "Why speakest thou in parables?" However charm- 
ing, such teaching is difficult to understand. Even to this 
day the parables of Jesus are not fully understood. Why 
has he chosen this method of instruction? The question 

11 evokes two remarkable statements. The first : "Unto you is 
given the mystery of the kingdom of God." 

The word mystery, which is used often in Paul's letters 
and in the Revelation, but nowhere else in the gospels or in 

1 Gen. 3:18. 



58 MARK IV: 11, 12. 

them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God : 
but unto them that are without, all things are done in par- 
ables: 12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and 

the Acts, comes directly from the Greek musterion, derived 
from a term signifying to close the eyes or the lips. It 
designates a thing kept dark or secret, especially a thing 
pertaining to religion. It means the hidden rather than the 
horrible, the unseen rather than the unsightly, the unknown 
rather than the unknowable. Mystery originates in the mind 
rather than in the thing considered, and what is a deep 
mystery to one may be a pleasing truth to another. To 
1 Pharaoh the vision of the seven fat and the seven lean 
kine, or the seven blasted and the seven full ears, is a 
prodigy ; to Joseph it is a prophecy. To 2 Belshazzar the 
writing on the wall is a mystery; to Daniel it is a message. 
Mysteries are simply matters that transcend the limits of 
present knowledge ; and as knowledge increases, mystery 
retreats toward the abyss of ignorance, which limits all 
human understanding. One thing is as simple as another, 
when each is equally well known. 

In the New Testament a mystery is not a thing unknow- 
able, but a thing which lies beyond the power of man to 
attain. It is something revealed, or destined to be revealed, 
through divine agencies. 3 Paul says : "Eye hath not seen, 
nor ear heard, neither have entered into' the heart of man, 
the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." Else- 
where he says : "The mystery which hath been hid from ages 
and from generations, but now is made manifest to his 
saints : To whom God would make known the riches of this 
mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope 
of glory." To the docile spirit it is given to know the 
mystery of the kingdom ; and no man comes into the knowl- 
edge without divine aid. 4 "The secret of the Lord is with 
those that fear him ; and he will shew them his covenant." 
To the humble disciple the parable may be illumination, but 
to the gainsaying and disobedient it is sure to be perplexity. 
The B cloud of Jehovah is light to Israel, but darkness to 
Egypt. The 6 stone which is a sure foundation to the be- 
lieving is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to the 
disbelieving. 

The application of parabolic teaching to those that are 

12 without the pale of discipleship is equally remarkable : "That 

seeing they may see, and not perceive." The mood in which 

1 Gen. 41 : 2, 5. 4 Psa. 25 : 14. 

2 Dan. 5 : 2f. B Ex. 14 : 20. 

3 1 Cor. 2 : 9, 10 ; Col. 1 : 26, 27. 6 1 Pet. 2 : 6-8. 



MARK IV: 12-14. 59 

hearing they may hear, and not understand ; lest haply they 
should turn again, and it should be forgiven them. 13 And 
he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how 
shall ye know all the parables? 14 The sower soweth the 

the utterance is expressed indicates a contingency. There 
is no suggestion of a divine decree, which dooms any man to 
disbelief ; on the contrary, there is the suggestion of ab- 
solute liberty. Men may see, and not perceive ; in the same 
liberty they may see, and perceive. The teaching is in har- 
mony with the latest psychology. Every teacher knows the 
difficulty of instructing the closed mind, the unwilling pupil. 
If a man does not wish to know the mysteries of the king- 
dom, God does not coerce him. He * reveals the truth to 
babes, but hides it from the conceited scions of worldly 
wisdom. He is under no bond to afford light for those that 
walk in darkness ; when in mercy he discloses the truth, if 
men are unwilling to perceive, they have only themselves to 
blame. 

The parable of the sower is quite simple in its terms, and 

13 the facts set forth are matters of common observation ; if it 
presents uncommon perplexities, "How shall ye know all" or 
other "parables?" One of the chief difficulties in interpreting 
parables lies in the fact that there is no sure method of 
distinguishing between what is designed to impart spiritual 
truth and what is put in to fill out the story. In less im- 
portant ways there is difficulty in discerning the general 
purpose of the teaching, in making the specific application, 
and sometimes in knowing the literal facts from which the 
spiritual lessons are to be drawn. In the parable of the 
sower the Teacher himself becomes the expositor. 

14 The sower soweth the word. The sower is the preacher, 
the teacher, the dispenser of truth, Jesus, first, and after him 
all those whom the Spirit calls. Sowing is not stowing in 
the granary, conserving, protecting ; it is scattering, throwing 
away, flinging into the dirt. The word is the truth of God, 
as disclosed in the Scriptures. 2 Matthew mentions specific- 
ally the word of the kingdom ; but it is the kingdom in the 
widest use of the term, the whole truth of God's dealings 
with the Tace, as shown in all the Bible. 

In any domain the truth needs no defense. In all the 
history of schooling, no teacher has ever wasted a good hour 
in an effort to defend the truth of the multiplication table ; 
such an effort would imply some doubt, or a lack of sanity, 
on the teacher's part. Yet some who are sent to sow waste 
their time in trying to conserve. Others, mistaking a 

iMat. 11: 25. 2 Mat. 13: 19. 



60 MARK IV: 14-LG. 

word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the 
word is sown ; and when they have heard, straightway Com- 
eth Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown 
in them. 16 And these in like manner are they that are 
sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the 

parable for a story, drop into the cheap device of scattering 
anecdotes over the soil of human understanding ; and from 
such seeding little or nothing comes. The sower who knows 
his business sows not philosophy, nor socialism, nor politics, 
nor fine spun theories of any kind ; he sows the word of 
God, and leaves the results with him. The word of the 
kingdom is always good seed. When the. sower faithfully 
dispenses the truth, his responsibility ends. The harvest 
depends on the soil furnished for the sowing. 

Jesus calls it the parable of the sower, and nothing is 
gained by suggesting a different name ; but the hearers are 
represented under the figure of different kinds of soil into 
which the seeds of truth are sown. These are set into two 
general classes, representing productiveness or unproductive- 
ness, with three subdivisions in each class, though in the 
good it is merely a matter of degree. 

15 These are they by the wayside, the viewpoint being 
changed from the sower to the soil, from the teacher to the 
hearer. They hear the word with the outward ear. Mat- 
thew says they do not understand the word preached ; they 
hear the sound, but they do not take in the sense. Like the 
soil of the beaten path, which does not hide the grain, these 
dull and unresponsive hearers do not hide the word of God 
in their hearts. It is merely on the surface in plain view 
of voracious birds, and is easy to snatch away. Satan loses 
no time ; he comes immediately, and gets in his work. The 
act is that of a personal agent, who is the great spirit of 
evil in the world. In Matthew he is called the Evil One, 
in Luke the Devil, in Mark Satan, showing, as in other 
Scriptures, that the three names are applied to the same 
evil spirit. Thousands of gospel messages have been de- 
livered to men who received them not into good and honest 
hearts, but allowed them to be caught away ; and the last 
state of such hearers is worse than the first. 

16 The soil on the rock is deep enough to hide the seed from 
the birds. Unlike the wayside hearers, who do not receive 
the truth at all, they hear with gladness, and receive with 
readiness; but the truth is not received deeply. They are 
pleased, but not possessed. They are impressible, but not 
stable. They readily start, and quickly stumble. There is 
no failure in the sowing, nor any defect in the seed ; the 



MARK IV: 16-19. 61 

word, straightway receive it with joy ; 17 and they have no 
root in themselves, but endure for a while ; then, when tribu- 
lation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straight- 
way they stumble. 18 And others are they that are sown 
among the thorns ; these are they that have heard the word, 
19 and the cares of the * world, and the deceitfulness of 
4 Or, age. 

17 defect is in the soil into which the seed falls. They lack root 
in themselves, and the blades of truth wither before the 
harvest comes to perfection. 

Jesus recites the fact, but he utters no word of rebuke. 
The man who is weak, fickle, uncertain, in other matters, 
will be the same in religion. The new birth is a birth of the 
spirit ; it is said to bring a new heart, but not to bring a 
new backbone. Shallow people live in every community. 
They flock about the churches whenever there is a revival, 
and drop out so soon as the special services close. By nature 
they are quitters, and in every undertaking they must be 
true to the nature which has been given them, though it is 
possible to strengthen the weak places in character. 

18 Thorny soil is most disappointing. Ground that pro- 
duces rank thorns and briars is fertile soil, and is capable 
of producing a rich harvest. Men who are able to do great 
things in secular affairs are able also to do great things in 
religion. They among the thorns hear the word, receive it 
deeply, and inspire the hope of noble things, and yet bring 
forth no fruitage. Jesus traces the blight of the harvest to 
three causes. 

19 First come the cares of the world. The word cares means 
whatever draws this way or that, pulling and hauling and 
distracting. It does not indicate any special sin, but simply 
such diversion as occupies the mind and renders it unfit for 
the exercises that are needful in the cultivation of spiritual 
life. It may be a mere matter of getting the children off to 
school, of arranging a social function, of meeting a business 
engagement, anything that overshadows the soul's interests, 
and leaves the seed to fail. 

The deceitfulness of riches also helps on the work of ruin. 
Wealth has many deceptive qualities, by which it blinds the 
mind and sears the conscience. It promises a happiness 
which it cannot give. It engenders false estimates of char- 
acter, and sometimes obliterates the distinction between right 
and wrong. It stimulates pride and exclusiveness, and severs 
the natural bond between man and man. Many a good man 
has striven to get wealth for the purpose of doing good with 
it, and has grown more avaricious and stingy with increas- 



62 MARK IV: 19, 20. 

riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the 
word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And those are they 
tnat were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the 
word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, 
and a hundredfold. 

ing prosperity. The armies of thieves that infest society 
under various names are simply the victims of the deceit 
which lurks in riches. Even Christian men are often 
dwarfed in their spiritual stature through the deceitfulness 
of riches. x Beware, "lest when thou hast eaten and art full, 
and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein, and when thy 
herds and flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold in- 
crease, and all that thou hast is multiplied, then thy heart 
be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God." The temp- 
tation is ever present, and multitudes are not strong enough 
to resist. So it comes to pass, that with increasing riches 
there comes increasing blight. 

The lust of other things fills up the measure of ruin, and 
renders the life unfruitful. The mind is so engaged with 
other matters, innocent enough in themselves, that it fails to 
give proper thought to spiritual things ; and in the day of 
reaping it furnishes no harvest for the granary of the King. 
20 As there are three kinds of barren soil representing three 
classes of persons that hear the gospel in vain, there are 
three grades of good soil to represent three classes of per- 
sons that hear with profit. According to the different ac- 
counts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, they hear the word, 
receive or understand it, and retain it in good and honest 
hearts. They have softness enough to take it in, depth 
enough to give it root and moisture, and cleanness enough 
to afford it opportunity to grow. In due time they bring 
forth the appropriate harvest, but in variant degrees, some 
thirty fold, some sixty, some a hundred. The fruits of grace 
are alike in quality, but different in quantity. The 2 man 
with two talents gains the same in kind as the man with five ; 
but he returns with only four at most, while his richer 
brother comes with ten. Both are equally faithful, and they 
receive the same commendation and welcome. All that hear 
and receive the word, and bring forth its fruitage in their 
lives, are rated as good soil ; but it is possible to be better, 
and even best. It is always possible for soil to be improved. 

In its physical aspects the parable presents certain facts 
that are inevitable. From hard ground birds gather up the 
uncovered seeds ; in shallow soil the sun burns the tender 
shoots ; in thorny land the harvest is sapped and blasted by 

1 BevLt. 8: 12-14. 2 Mat. 25: 20-23. 



MARK IV: 21-24. 63 

21 And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put 
under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the 
stand? 22 For there is nothing had, save that it should be 
manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it 
should come to light. 23 If any man hath ears to hear, let 
him hear. 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye 
hear : with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto 

wild growths, these results following as matters of course. 
In the spiritual realm there is an element of volition that 
enters into the account. Within certain limits it is possible 
for men to improve their conditions. They cannot change 
their own hearts ; but they can come to the Lord, who makes 
the heart soft. They may be naturally fickle and shallow ; 
but it is possible for them to cultivate the qualities of stabil- 
ity and depth. They may be cumbered with much serving, 
and pressed with the cares of life ; but they may throw off 
some of their cares, and find time for the cultivation of 
religious life. * Then shall they know, if they follow on 
to know. 

After the exposition of the parable Jesus indicated that 
such would be his method of instruction, but that the light 

21 of truth should not be perpetually hid. The lamp is not 
brought to be put forever under a bushel or any other ob- 
struction. In the judgment of common sense it is designed 
for a lamp stand, where it shall give light to those in the 
room. Possessing a knowledge of the mysteries of the king- 
dom the disciples of the Lord are not to hold them as an 

22 exclusive possession. In itself the hiding suggests dis- 
closure : "There is nothing hid, but that it should be made 
manifest ; neither made secret, but that it should come to 
light." In a corresponding record from Matthew, Jesus 
gives 2 specific instruction : "What I tell you in the darkness, 
speak ye in the light ; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim 
upon the house tops." He has no idea of establishing an 
oligarchy of truth, or of forming an elect circle of initiates ; 
but as he instructs his friends in the deep things of God, 
he uses them as instruments of knowledge to others, the 
circle ever widening till it touches the utmost limits of the 
race. The truth is designed for all people, and it is free 

23 to all that have ears to hear, the phrase including both the 
outward equipment and the inward inclination. Grave re- 
sponsibilities rest with those who hear the word. 

24 Therefore he saith unto them : "Take heed what ye hear." 
Elsewhere 3 it is said : "Take heed how ye hear." The two 
utterances put the emphasis at different points. Hearing 

1 Hos. G : 3. 2 Mat. 10 : 27. 3 Luke 8 : 18. 



64 MARK IV j 24-26. 

you ; and more shall be given unto you. 25 For he that hath, 
to him shall be given : and he that hath not, from him shall 
be taken away even that which he hath. 

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man 

with prejudice and resentment colors what is heard, at the 
same time it reacts on the mind, and renders it less capable 
of hearing aright and judging fairly the things that are 
heard ; but hearing with open and receptive mind gives 
better facility for hearing aright, and for applying what is 
heard. "With what measure ye mete it shall be measured 
unto you, and more." And as every man that has the truth 
is commissioned to publish it abroad, it is important for 
him to take heed what he hears, lest he shall become the 
bearer of a perverted message. For self and for others it. is 
important for every man to hear properly. In this, as in 

25 other matters, he that hath shall receive more. 

No truth is more abundantly illustrated before the eyes of 
men. The world reaps as it sows. It gets as it gives. He 
that has money, learning, honor, friends, gets more money, 
more learning, more honor, more friends. The fact may be 
observed any day ; also the contrary : "He that hath not, 
from him shall be taken away even that which he hath." 
He has a house, but has not money to lift the mortgage, and 
the house is taken away. He has learning, but has not 
leisure or inclination to continue his studies, and his learn- 
ing fades from his mind. He has something, but has not 
the Wherewith to make it secure, and it departs from him. 
He that has not the energy needful to use the means ap- 
pointed for growth in grace withers more and more. Whether 
in things temporal or things spiritual, x "the destruction of 
the poor is their poverty." 

26 Neither here nor elsewhere does Jesus tell just what the 
kingdom is, but what it is like. It is 2 like a grain of 
mustard seed, 3 like unto leaven hid in meal, 4 like unto 
treasure buried in a field, 5 like unto a merchant seeking 
goodly pearls, 6 like unto a net cast into the sea, 7 like unto 
a king that would take account of his servants, 8 like unto 
a man that is a householder, 9 like unto ten virgins that took 
their lamps and went forth to meet the tarrying bridegroom, 
like a man casting seed into the ground. These different 
similitudes present different aspects of the kingdom. The 
parable under consideration is recorded by Mark only. 

The literal facts are simple enough, especially to persons 

1 Prov. 10 : 15. 4 Mat. 13 : 44. 7 Mat. 18 : 23. 

2 Mat. 13 : 31. 5 Mat. 13 : 45. 8 Mat. 20 : 1. 

3 Mat. 13 : 33. 6 Mat. 13 : 47. 9 Mat. 25 : 1. 



MARK IV: 26-29. 65 

should cast seed upon the earth ; 27 and should sleep and 
rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, 
he knoweth not how. 28 The earth B beareth fruit of herself ; 
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 
29 But when the fruit 6 is ripe, straightway he 7 putteth forth 
the sickle, because the harvest is come. 

5 Or, yieldeth. 6 Or, alloweth. 7 Or, scncleth forth. 

27 acquainted with the processes of the farm. A man casts 
seed into the ground. He sleeps by night, and rises by day, 
using proper care to protect the field and keep it free from 
wild growths ; but he cannot make a seed sprout, or a blade 
grow. In narrow and artificial limits he may regulate 
temperature and moisture ; he may use skill in cultivation, 
and may even add certain ingredients to the soil, but he 
soon reaches a boundary which he cannot pass. The seed 
springs and grows up, "he knoweth not how." Not exclusive 
of seeding and culture, sun and rain, but with these and 

28 under the operations of inexorable laws "the earth bringeth 
forth fruit of herself." The invariable order of production 
is first the blade. Corn in the blade, frail and far from 
maturity, is really corn ; and this stage is as necessary as 
any other. Then the ear, a poor sort of green and grainless 
thing, marks a further stage of development. Last in the 
process of growth is the full corn in the ear, as a culmina- 

29 tion of all that went before. Then comes the harvest. And 
these facts are given to illustrate and impress certain truths 
in the kingdom of heaven. 

In the course of Christ's teaching this is the third parable 
of sowing, and one is yet to come. The one called the par- 
able of the sower deals with truth as it affects individual 
hearers, hard, shallow, preoccupied with increasing cares, or 
profited in larger or smaller measure. The * parable of the 
tares, which is not recorded by Mark, gives another view of 
the same general theme, and is somewhat like this, though 
the two are different. In the parable of the tares there are 
two sowers, the man and his enemy ; in this there is only 
one, a man. In that there are two crops growing together ; 
in this there is only one. In that the man's servants are 
mentioned ; in this they are not. In that the destiny of the 
two harvests is disclosed ; in this the record stops with the 
reaping. Unlike the parable of the sower, these both deal 
with hearers in the mass. In both the kingdom is the world, 
where the seeds of truth are scattered by the servants of 
the husbandman. They sow good seed, and they may wait 
in patience and watch in fidelity, but they have no power to 
1 Mat. 13 : 24. 



66 MARK IV: 30-32. 

30 And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God, 
or in what parable shall we set it forth? 31 8 It is like a 
grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the 
eartb, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the 
earth, 32 yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh 
greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches ; 
so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow 
thereof. 

8 Gr. As unto. 

coerce the processes of nature and compel a harvest. "The 
earth beareth fruit of herself." Casting the seed, gathering 
strength in slumber by night, rising to toil by day, the 
husbandman reaps a harvest at last. In the spiritual realm, 
as in the physical, there is a linking together of workers, 
fallowing, harrowing, sowing, cultivating, reaping. The 
laborers all belong to the same Master, and in the end 1 they 
shall all rejoice together. 

30 "How shall we liken the kingdom of God?" With divine 
insight Jesus seeks to set the truth in fitting form. "It is 
like a grain of mustard seed," a fourth parable of sowing. 

31 It is not a treatise on garden truck ; and it is a waste of 
time and a belittling of a great theme to enter into a dis- 
cussion of the size of Asiatic mustard, or to differentiate 
the Savadora Persica from the Sinapis Nigra, or from any 
other species of the genus mustard. Birds are mentioned to 
give vividness to the picture, and to bring before the eye the 
fact of growth. The idea that the birds represent filthy 
people that crowd into or settle about the church in order 
to receive its protection in their sins is born of pessimism, 
and of a confusion of thought which fails to distinguish 
between the church and the kingdom. It is entirely fanciful 
also to suppose there is here any reference to the fine senti- 
ment which undertakes to protect song birds. Neither is 

32 the pungency of mustard a point in the story. The essential 
thought of the parable is the doctrine of enlargement, a 
small seed becoming a great tree. 

Such was the kingdom 2 set up among kingdoms of the 
earth. It was very small in the beginning, only one preacher, 
a mere voice crying in the wilderness ; then two, Jesus join- 
ing with John in proclaiming the good news ; later twelve, 
and seventy, and a vast multitude. It was 3 the little stone 
cut without hands from the mountain, destined to roll for- 
ward, crushing opposition, and at last filling the whole world. 
When the women whispered from lip to lip that Jesus was 
risen, Jerusalem was soon filled with the news. Soon the 

1 John 4 : 36. 2 Dan. 2 : 44. 3 Dan. 2 : 34, 35w 



MARK IV: 33-38. 67 

33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto 
them, as they were able to hear it ; 34 and without a parable 
spake he not unto them : but privately to his own disciples 
he expounded all things. 

35 And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto 
them, Let us go over unto the other side. 36 And leaving 
the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, 
in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 And there 
ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the 
boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling. 38 And he 

truth extended to Samaria, Joppa, Antioch, Ephesus, 
Philippi, Athens, Corinth, Rome. Gibbon said : "The intro- 
duction of Christianity, at least the abuse of Christianity, 
had some influence on the decline and fall of the Roman 
empire. Christianity erected the triumphant banner of the 
cross on the ruins of the capitol. Nor was its influence 
confined to the period or the limits of the empire. After 
thirteen or fourteen centuries that religion is still professed 
by the nations of Europe, the most distinguished portions 
of human kind." It was x the light which appeared as the 
morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an 
army with banners. 2 It was the little bough planted on 
the mountain, and becoming a goodly cedar, whose boughs 
sheltered fowl of every wing. 

33 With many such parables, of which Mark records only 
three in this connection, Jesus spoke, waiting on their ap- 
prehension, and speaking as they were able to profit thereby. 

34 In general he spoke to the throng in public, and then ex- 
plained in private to such as wished further instruction. 
It was the original after-meeting, which sifted out the list- 
less, and unfolded the truth to those who desired to learn. 

35 In the evening he proposed to change his place of labor : 

36 "Let us go over unto the other side." As they passed out 

37 from the shore, other vessels were a-sail on the lake. When 
they were out at sea, a sudden storm arose. The intense 
heat generated in the basin about the lake rarefied the at- 
mosphere, and according to natural laws the cooler air from 
the mountains rushed down the ravines with great violence. 
That day the tempest was unusually severe. The word used 
to designate it literally means an earthquake, as if the 
foundations were suddenly broken up. Though accustomed 
to the sea, the disciples were alarmed, as the waves swept 
over the deck, and were filling the vessel. In the midst of 

38 it all Jesus lay asleep on a boat cushion in the hinder part 

1 Cant. 5 : 10. 2 Ezek. 17 : 22, 23. 



68 MARK IV: 38-41. 

himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they 
awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that 
we perish? 39 And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and 
said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, 
and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, 
Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith? 41 And they 
feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is 
this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? 

of the ship. The disciples rushed back to get help. There 
were several of them, one saying one thing and another an- 
other. Different writers recorded different sayings, each 
equally true. According to Matthew some of them said : 
"Lord, save us; we perish;" according to Luke others were 
saying: "Master, master, we perish," while Mark recorded 
the querulous question : "Teacher, carest thou not that we 
perish?" These various utterances fell from the lips of the 
disciples, as they turned to Jesus for relief ; and the effort 
to make out some sort of disagreement among the records 
indicates natural dullness. 

39 In response to the noisy outcry Jesus awoke. The term 
might mean that he arose, but not necessarily. To awake 
would be enough. He had as much authority reclining as 
standing, his will being law to the utmost limits of the uni- 
verse. According to the record he said: Siopa, pephimoso, 
properly rendered : "Peace, be still," but literally : "Be silent, 
get on a muzzle." The first term was used of the dumbness 
which came to Zacharias as a sign, because of his unbelief,, 
in the charge made to the blind man at Jericho, and in en- 
joining silence upon others. The second, being put in the 
perfect tense, implied a permanent condition. Matthew 
used the word in speaking of the silence of the man without 
a wedding garment, and Paul in speaking of muzzling the 
ox. It was a bold figure that conceived the wind and the 
sea as sentient beings. By a similar fancy Virgil repre- 
sented the wind as raging in a cavern, like a wild beast in 
a cage. The results also are stated in striking terms. The 
wind ceased, literally, grew weary, ekopasen, and being 
weary it naturally stopped to rest. 

He spoke first to the wind, then to the sea, last to the dis- 

40 ciples : "Why are ye fearful?" Such fear could come only 
from a lack of faith. They were all in the same boat. How 
could it be possible for them to perish with the Son of God 
on board? They loved him, but they did not realize the 
fulness of his power. Like other miracles, his act that day 
was an appeal to unbelief, and it had the desired effect. 

41 They were greatly amazed, and began to enquire more deeply 



MARK V: 1-5. 69 

5 And they came to the other side of the sea, into the 
country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he was come 
out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs 
a man with an unclean spirit 3 who had his dwelling in the 
tombs : and no man could any more bind him, no, not with 
a chain; 4 because that he had been often bound with fet- 
ters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by 
him, and the fetters broken in pieces : and no man had 
strength to tame him. 5 And always, night and day, in the 
tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting 

into his character. Shakespeare spoke of a magician who 
for his own pleasure could raise a tempest or bring a calm ; 
but whether in storm or calm the purposes of Jesus were 
always beneficent. 



1 Jesus passes out of a storm at sea into a storm in the 
spiritual realm. His destination on the other side of the 
lake is not known. Luke mentions it as * the country over 
against Galilee, the region of Decapolis. Elaborate dis- 
cussions relative to the exact place reach no reliable con- 
clusion, and are of no value. The matter is of no import- 
ance. 

2 As Jesus stepped ashore, immediately there met him out 
of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Matthew spoke 
of two such persons, but for reasons which have not been 
indicated Mark mentioned only one of them. For a long 
time the man had been under Satan's power. His home 

3 was in the city, but he dwelt in the tombs, which were 
natural grottoes or artificial caverns in the mountain side. 
As places of dead men's bones, they were ceremonially un- 
clean, and were relatively safe from intrusion ; but they had 
a strange fascination for that naked and terrible man, and 
association with them gave him an added horror. In those 
days there were no asylums for such unfortunates ; and in 
his mad desire to escape the eyes of men the wretch turned 
to those dreadful caves. About him there was a ferocity 

4 that knew no restraint. Loyal friends tried to detain him 
by every available device, but their efforts were in vain. 
Xo man had skill or strength to tame or to control him. 

5 Night and day in the tombs or in the mountains he was 
crying out, cruel alike to himself and to others, cutting 
himself with stones, and making it dangerous for any to 
pass that way. 

1 Luke 8 : 26. 



70 MARK V: 5-9. 

himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, 
he ran and 9 worshipped him ; 7 and crying out with a loud 
voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou 
Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment 
me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean 
spirit, out of the man. 9 And he asked him, What is thy 
name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we 

9 The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to 
a creature (see Mt. 4 : 9 ; 18 : 26) or to the Creator (see Mt. 
4: 10). 

6 Like a hunted animal seeking protection, the man rushed 
toward the wharf, as the boat neared the shore. There was 
mutual recognition between Jesus and the demon ; and Jesus 
bade the spirit get out, as recorded in verse 8. Then the 
tussle began. Man and demon rolled into one fell at the 

7 feet of Jesus in an attitude of worship, and there arose the 
cry : "What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the 
Most High God?" More literally : "What is there in common 
to me and thee?" It was a distinct recognition of the 
eternal hostility between Jesus and Satan, and between the 
kingdoms which they respectively represented. He knew 
Jesus as the Son of God, and * believed as far as the truth 
was applicable to him. It was a strong and living faith, 
and it was as broad as the truth on which it was based. 
Whatever he believed of Jesus as the friend and Saviour of 
men, he did not believe in Jesus as a Saviour for a demon. 
There was no promise to sustain such a faith. Rather he 
believed in the 2 Son of God as manifest to destroy the 
works of the Devil. He awaited only such an event, and in 

8 an agony of supplication he cried out : "I adjure thee by 
God, that thou torment me not before the time !" He knew 
that there was a time of torment appointed. In the com- 
mand to leave the man he saw no alternative but to go into 
the abyss of hell, and it seemed a premature judgment. 

9 Jesus asked him : "What is thy name?" It was the best 
way to bring the victim back to himself. The answer came : 
"My name is Legion." The full Roman legion consisted of 
six thousand. The term was hardly intended to be precise, 
but was used simply to indicate a large number : "For we 
are many." Out of 3 Mary Magdalene there went seven 
demons. Jesus mentioned a 4 man in whom there was one, 
and then seven more. On the assumption that each of the 
swine mentioned in the story was specifically possessed, the 
man of Gadara was dominated by at least two thousand. 

1 James 2 : 19. 3 Luke 8 : 2. 

2 1 John 3:8. 4 Mat. 12 : 45. 



MARK V: 9-13. 71 

are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not 
send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was 
there on the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding. 
12 "And they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, 
that we may enter into them. 13 And he gave them leave. 
And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the 
swine : and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in 
number about two thousand ; and they were drowned in the 

The chatter of the multiplicity of demons was quite suffi- 
cient to account for the little variation in the narratives 
of the different writers, one recording the utterance of one 
demon, and another of another. The name legion might be 
interpreted as indicating either that the man was completely 
subdued, like a province of the Roman empire under the 
domination of Csesar's legions, or that being a legion in him- 
self, he considered himself as invincible, or both ; yet Jesus 
was mightier than the legions of hell. 

10 "He besought him." The demon that spoke for the legion, 
using the vocal organs of the man to make the plea, be- 
sought Jesus not to send them away from the scene of their 
prolonged activities. They had local preferences. Up to 
that point Jesus recognized only the personality of the man, 
or of the ruling demon ; after that the plurality of the 
legion was recognized. 

11 The fact that swine in large numbers were feeding in the 
vicinity indicated the prevalence of Gentile influence, as 

12 x Jews were forbidden to keep swine. The demons asked 
to be sent into the swine. No reason was assigned for the 
request, though one might fancy a certain affinity between 
unclean beasts and unclean spirits. Jesus did not send 

13 them ; he permitted them to have their desire. It was not 
a scheme to bring either demons or hogs into disaster, 
though we must suppose Jesus knew what the results would 
be. There was no essential connection between delivering 
the man and destroying the swine. Other demons that were 
expelled from men did not enter into beasts. 2 When the 
unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through 
waterless places. By instinct the hogs probably understood 
the demons' aversion to water. They stampeded, and plunged 
into the sea to be rid of the evil spirits. It was deeper 
than they knew, and they were drowned. 

The incident affords some legitimate inferences. Animals, 
as well as men, are subject to Satan's power. In such a 
case an otherwise docile beast becomes uncertain, and even 
dangerous. Whether in men or beasts demons work mis- 
1 Lev. 11 : 8. 2 Mat. 12 : 43. 



72 MARK V: 13-19. 

sea. 14 And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, 
and in the country. And they came to see what it was that 
had come to pass. 15 And they come to Jesus, and behold 
1 him that was possessed with demons sitting, clothed and in 
his right mind, even him that had the legion: and they 
were afraid. 16 And they that saw it declared unto them 
how it befell a him that was possessed with demons, and 
concerning the swine. 17 And they began to beseech him to 
depart from their borders. 18 And as he was entering into 
the boat, 1 he that had been possessed with demons besought 
him that he might be with him. 19 And he suffered him 
1 Or, the demoniac. 

chief. Domestic animals possessed of some unclean spirit 
often do the most unexpected and unaccountable things, 
injuring or even destroying themselves or their keepers. 

14 The results of the miracle were remarkable. First, there 
was a deep sense of. awe, and in fear they that fed the 
swine fled, and spread the news of what had come to pass. 

15 The reports drew many others to the place. They saw 
Jesus calm and confident ; they also saw the man, lately a 
terror in the community, quiet, -clothed, sane, and sitting at 

16 the feet of Jesus. Persons who had witnessed the strange 
event reported matters in detail, each recounting such mat- 
ters as he recalled. The fear felt by the keepers of the 
swine took possession of the assembled throngs ; they did 
not resort to violence, or enter complaint at the loss en- 
tailed in the destruction of the hogs, but they doubted what 

17 would happen next, and they begged Jesus to retire from 
their part of the country. It was not a question of pre- 
ferring hogs above men, for the hogs were already dead ; it 
was a sense of alarm in the presence of forces which they 
did not understand. Had they been wiser, they would have 
done differently.. 

18 The request was not in vain. Jesus never thrust his 
presence or his special blessings upon the unwilling. There 
was one, however, who desired his presence. As he re- 
embarked, the man so lately delivered from the power of 
Satan requested the privilege of going with him. Ties 
which bound him to home and friends were weak through 
the work of demons, and he regarded Jesus as the friend 
who had special claims on his gratitude and love. 1 In that 
presence was fulness of joy, and there no demon could come. 

19 Jesus had other plans for the man. Departing from the 
course sometimes pursued, Jesus did not command silence, 

!Ps. 16: 11. 



MARK V: 19-21. 73 

not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, 
and tell thein how great things the Lord hath done for thee, 
and how he had mercy on thee. 20 And he went his way, 
and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus 
had done for him : and all men marvelled. 

21 And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat 
unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto 

but publicity. Out of the delivered soul he made a messenger 
of glad tidings : "Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell 
them how great things the Lord hath done for thee." As- 
suming that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, Luke said : 
"Declare how great things God hath done for thee." The 
Godhood of Jesus was not argued ; it was demonstrated in 
his works. x No man could do such things, unless God 
dwelt in him. 

20 In joyful obedience the man went out and told the news. 
He began at once, publishing it in Decapolis, literally, the 
ten cities. Soon after the Roman conquest, nearly a century 
before, the ten cities lying about the southern part of the 
lake, chiefly on the eastern side, were improved, and were 
endowed with certain political privileges which gave them 
distinction among cities of the province. The identity of 
the ten was not definitely made out by ancient writers, some 
giving one list and others another. The territory belonged 
to the kingdom of Herod the Great, and after his death it 
was attached to the province of Syria. Through all that 
region the man went with the praises of Jesus on his lips, 
and in due time he arrived at home. The story which he 
told made a deep impression, but beyond that the results of 
his labors were not recorded. 

21 The visit to the eastern shore was brief. It afforded op- 
portunities for healing and instruction, which went to waste. 
When Jesus returned to the Galilean side, he found people 
in eager throngs awaiting him, and they pressed about him 
before he left the shore. In the narrative which he gave, 
Matthew did not observe the order of events, or else the 
question of fasting arose a second time, and was discussed 
in a way similar to that recorded in Mark 2. If there was 
a second discussion of the subject, Mark felt at liberty to 
omit it. 

At this point in his narrative Mark picks up certain inci- 
dents which seem to belong to an earlier date, the only 
instance in which he fails to move forward in the order of 
events. Chronologists usually place the restoration of the 
ruler's daughter and the healing of the woman immediately 

1 John 3 : 2. 



74 MARK V: 21-25. 

him ; and he was by the sea. 22 And there cometh one of 
the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing 
him, he falleth at his feet, 23 and beseecheth him much, 
raying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray 
thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she 
may be 2 made whole, and live. 24 And he went with him ; 
and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him. 
25 And a woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, 
2 Or, saved. 

after the discussion of fasting, which closes with Mark 2 : 
22. The order of events, however, is not the chief thing. 

22 Whenever it was, as Jesus was teaching, an unexpected 
thing occurred. Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came to 
seek his aid. In the Hebrew form the name was Jair, and 
it was rendered * honorable in the struggle for the conquest 
of Canaan and among the judges of Israel. Jairus was a 
Jew, but the name indicates that he was reared under Greek 
influences. Except in the matter of directing public worship 
his position imparted no authority, but it was a place of 
honor and influence. Whatever his faith in Jesus as the 
Messiah, he believed in his power to work wonders. Not to 
worship him as a divine being, but to honor him as a 

23 mighty healer, Jairus fell at Jesus' feet, and besought him 
to come to the help of the child, who was very ill, even at 
the point of death. Taking into the account the report of 
servants, which was brought a little later, 2 Matthew said : 
"Even now dead." In any case the father felt that Jesus 
was able to meet the emergency. 3 Luke mentioned only the 
request that Jesus come to the house, but in harmony with 
his general style Mark went more into detail : "Lay thy 
hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live." The 
agitated father made several remarks about the case, and 
these were severally reported by the different writers. 

24 As usual Jesus responded to the call, passing on toward 
the ruler's house. The people expected some new display 

25 of power, and they followed. Events pressed upon each 
other. Into the surging throng there pushed an ailing 
woman. For twelve years she had suffered the pangs of 
disease, and the ravages of physicians. In that day there 
was no scientific healing. Many of the so-called physicians 
were arrant quacks, who preyed upon the unfortunate, their 
prescriptions being gross admixtures of ignorance, sorcery 
and superstition. At best the treatment which they offered 
was a mere matter of experiment ; it was governed chiefly 
by greed and cunning, and was usually a fearful ordeal, 
i Deut. 3:14; Judges 10 : 3. 2 Mat. 9:18. 3 Luke 8 : 41. 



MARK V: 26-31. 75 

26 and had suffered many things of many physicians, and 
had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but 
rather grew worse, 27 having heard the things concerning 
Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his garment. 
28 For she said, If I touch but his garments, I shall be 
2 made whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her 
blood was dried up ; and she felt in her body that she was 
healed of her 3 plague. 30 And straightway Jesus, perceiv- 
ing in himself that the power proceeding from him had 
gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who 
touched my garments? 31 And his disciples said unto him, 
Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, 
2 Or, saved. 3 Gr. scourge. 

26 Turning from one quack to another the woman had suffered 
many things, and had grown steadily worse. Luckily her 

27 poverty delivered her from the doctors ; but she heard of 
Jesus, and took courage. 

Her trembling faith needed a crutch. She could not trust 

28 him to heal her for the asking ; but she said : "If I touch 
but his garments, I shall be made whole." * The law re- 
quired the garment to be made with a fringe of threads 
from the warp. The fringe, with a narrow ribbon designed 
further to secure the goods against raveling, was a per- 
petual reminder of the law, which a devout Jew was pledged 
to obey. The robe was so folded as to expose the fringe in 
two corners in front and two behind. The woman seemed 
to think there was some sort of magic in the garment. She 
also attached some importance to her own efforts in the 
matter, believing that if she touched his clothing, he would 

29 do the rest. With such a faith she edged her way through 
the crowd, lifted her hand, touched his garment, and re- 
ceived immediate healing. At once she dropped back into 
the crowd, willing to steal a blessing, enjoy it in secret, 
and make no return to the giver. 

30 Jesus was not deceived. He that saw Nathanael under 
the fig tree also saw the woman as she came with her 
malady, and as she went with her blessing. He knew both 
the blessing which he had bestowed, and the dodge to which 
she had resorted. He was unwilling for her to wrong her- 
self and others by concealing the truth. Turning toward 

31 the culprit he asked: "Who touched my garments?" In 
such a crowd the question seemed very strange, and dis- 
ciples expressed astonishment. There was general denial of 
any special touch. Jesus referred to a touch which im- 
1 Num. 15 : 38. 



76 MARK V: 31-35. 

Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her 
that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and 
trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and 
fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And 
he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath 4 made thee 
whole ; go in peace, and be whole of thy 3 plague. 

35 While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the 
synagogue's house, saying, Thy daughter is dead : why troub- 

4 Or, saved thee. 3 Gr. scourge. 

parted a blessing ; he knew, and the woman knew, but others 

32 did not. Knowing that the eyes of Jesus were upon her, 
she owned up. She had not acted in good faith with the 
Lord, and there was a sense of alarm in being discovered in 
her unworthy act. According to the law x her touch brought 
ceremonial defilement, and she had asked no leave. Might 
not the blessing be revoked as a punishment for her con- 
duct? She approached from the rear to get the blessing, 

33 but trembling with fear she fell down before him, and told 
him all the truth. 2 Luke said she declared in the presence 
of all the people for what cause she had touched him, and 
how she was healed immediately. 

3 "Whosoever shall confess me, him will I also confess." 

34 Instead of rebuke she received commendation. Affection- 
ately Jesus spoke : "Daughter," the only instance in which 
he used the term, "thy faith hath made thee whole." In 
connection with the forgiveness of sins the same assurance 
was given 4 the woman at Simon's feast ; in connection 
with physical healing it was given also to 5 Bartimseus, and 
to 6 the Samaritan leper, who returned to give him glory. 
"Go in peace" is literally go into peace, the preposition be- 
ing eis after a verb expressing motion. The construction 
was a pledge of peace that should increase in power with 
passing years. In the case of forgiveness it was a peace 
that became richer with ripening experience. 

The healing of the woman took precious time, and caused 

35 delay in getting to the dying child. As the incident was 
closing, messengers from the ruler's house said : "Thy 
daughter is dead." Dead, and beyond the reach of human 
help! "Why troublest thou the Teacher any further?" 
There were messengers more than one, and they said different 
things. Luke reported the one who said : "Trouble not the 
Master." The Greek word for trouble originally meant to 
flay, to skin ; the kindred noun was used of the spoils 



1 Lev. 15 : 19. 


3 Mat. 10: 32. 


5 Mark 10: 


52. 


2 Luke 8 : 47. 


4 Luke 7 : 50. 


6 Luke 17 : 


19. 



MARK V: 35-39. 77 

lest thou the Teacher any further? 36 But Jesus, 8 not 
heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the syna- 
gogue, Fear not, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man 
to follow with him, save Peter, and 6 James, and John the 
brother of e James. 38 And they come to the house of the 
ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and 
many weeping and wailing greatly. 39 And when he was 

5 Or, overhearing. 6 Or, Jacob. 

stripped from those who were slain in battle. It was a 
strong term, but in later usage its meaning was softened 
somewhat. It was used by x the centurion whose faith en- 
abled him to say : "Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not 
worthy." The messengers of Jairus were not bitter or iron- 
ical, as if resenting the delay caused by the woman. What- 
ever their master's faith, they simply felt that death closed 
the scene ; and out of kindness they supposed that a visit 
from Jesus, effecting nothing, would be a needless exertion. 

36 Jesus heard the solemn word, dead ! Not heeding the 
kindly suggestion that he go no farther, he turned his eyes 
to the father of the child, and calmly said : "Fear not, only 
believe." It was a word of comfort fitly spoken. His power 
over death was not yet proven, but the tone in which he 
spoke indicated no fear of the issue. 

37 At that point, or after reaching the house, Jesus sepa- 
rated himself from the multitude. Taking three of the dis- 
ciples, he went into the house. Later the same three were 
with him in other momentous concerns, the transfiguration, 
the struggle in Gethsemane. Entering in he witnessed a 

38 great tumult, lamentation, moaning, wailing, and 2 the play- 
ing of flutes. It was partly professional, and was according 
to the customs of the times. 3 Solomon spoke of mourners 
going about the streets, as men went to their long home. 
* Jeremiah called for mourning women to bewail the desola- 
tion of Zion. Such as were skillful in the art were called 
to mourn for the sins of Israel. 5 King Josiah was bewailed 
in loud lamentations. In the ruler's house there was also 
genuine grief in the presence of death's mystery and power. 

39 Jesus spoke in tones of reproof : "Why make ye a tumult?" 
Then, as now and always, all that was put on was an 
empty folly. No show of grief, real or pretended, ever aided 
the dead, or comforted the living. In any case sorrow for 
the righteous dead should be tempered by the hope of resur- 
rection. Jesus did not magnify the importance of his 

1 Luke 7:6. 3 Ecc. 12 : 5. 5 2 Chron. 35 : 25. 

2 Mat. 9 : 23. * Jer. 9 : 17, 18. 



78 MARK V: 39-42. 

entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and 
weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they 
laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, 
taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that 
were with him, and goeth in where the child was. 41 And 
taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha 
cumi ; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, 
Arise. 42 And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked ; 

miracles. Sometimes he forbade the mention of them. In 
the case of the ruler's daughter he minified the effect of 
what he intended to do by saying: "The child is not dead, 
but sleepeth." 

40 "They laughed him to scorn." To the real mourners it 
was not a matter for either laughter or scorn, but the hire- 
lings who were making the ado, did not care to be put out 
of a job. The grief which they were expressing was assumed, 
and they could as easily break out in laughter, expressive 
of the scorn which they felt. The child was really dead, 
but there was no occasion for grief, real or assumed, since 
the Lord of life was there. He put mockers out, as he put 
the hucksters out of the temple, though he used no whip. 
It was no place for raucous noises, or unsympathetic hearts ; 
and with such constraint as the case required he cleared 
the house of assumed sorrow, before he healed the real grief. 

With the parents and the chosen three he turned to the 
chamber of death. The mother, who waited while the fa- 
ther went to Jesus, and saw the daughter die, had no definite 
ground for hope ; but the father saw the woman healed, 

41 and heard the word that bade him believe. The six stood 
in the presence of the dead. Taking the cold hand in his 
own, as if to lift her up, Jesus spoke in the language that 
was common to the province : Taleitha Jcoum. Mark pre- 
served the exact words, and then interpreted them in the 
language in which he wrote. For the Aramaic taleitha, 
meaning maiden or girl, he put the Greek Jcorasion, a term 
of affection and familiar address; for Jcoum, egeire: "Little 
girl, wake up !" Only that, as if she were asleep ! There 
was no evidence of effort ; no incantation of any kind. It 
was omnipotence in a word, spoken as serenely as a mother 
speaks to a gently sleeping child. It was divinity address- 
ing the dead, as in a later day it shall speak to all that 
sleep in the dust. 

42 "Straightway the damsel rose up." Luke explained that 
her spirit came back. So it did. She was well, also hungry 
from the emaciation which disease and death had wrought. 
She walked. Oh, it was wonderful ! Parents and apostles 



MARK V: 42, 43— VI : 1, 2. 79 

for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed 
straightway with a great amazement. 43 And he charged 
them much that no man should know this : and he com- 
manded that something should be given her to eat. 

6 And he went out from thence ; and he cometh into his 
own country ; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when 
the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue : 

were amazed beyond words, and Jesus charged them not to 
tell. He was unwilling for the woman to take a blessing, 
and keep it secret ; to the bereaved parents he gave an 
43 unspeakable boon, and charged them to keep it secret, but 
he did not explain. It was not for folks to know. 

He was able also to supply the child's physical wants, but 
so were the parents. He directed them to give her some- 
thing to eat. Divine power gave the life ; common sense 
supplied the sustenance. Why should he do for them what 
they could do for themselves? He has given the soil and 
the seasons, but he has never given a harvest out of hand, 
when conditions of sowing and reaping were allowed. 
Through the delay caused by the woman ; through the jeer- 
ing of the hired mourners ; through the triumph of the mir- 
acle and the amazement of the beholders, Jesus maintained 
a perfect composure, disclosing neither resentment, impa- 
tience or pride. The exercise of power was nothing new 
to him. 

1 After performing certain notable works near the sea, 
where he landed on his return from Gadara, Jesus departed 
into the district or into the city of Nazareth, which was his 
own country. Possibly, but not certainly or even probably, 
it was a different visit from that mentioned in Luke 4. If 
there were two visits, they were strangely alike in detail, 
the incidents of the two being almost identical : entering 
into the synagogue on the sabbath, public teaching, sensa- 

2 tion, discussion, opposition, and in substance the same re- 
ply. With Jesus it was a sacred custom to enter into the 
place of worship on the sabbath, the season especially ap- 
pointed for rest of soul. Night, which follows every day, 
was the supreme provision for physical rest ; but in the 
rest of the sabbath the soul was chiefly concerned. The 
exercises of the synagogue were formal, ritualistic, lifeless ; 
but they constituted the best avenue of public devotion 
known among men, and many were in attendance. However 
rigid in form the services were capable of bringing blessing 



80 MARK VI: 2. 

and 7 many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence 
hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that 
is given unto this man, and what mean such 8 mighty works 

7 Some ancient authorities insert the. s Gr. powers. 

to the devout heart. That day the worshipers were exceed- 
ingly fortunate, for Jesus also entered into the place. He 
began to teach, the incidents of the occasion being left to 
the imagination. His teaching was always pleasing, redolent 
of nature and the refreshing odor of fields. Usually he used 
no text, but with the intuitions of a master he found prac- 
tical lessons in 1 the common things of life, such as the draw- 
ing of water, the making of bread, the sowing of grain, the 
habits of chickens, the death of a friend. He founded his 
discourses on eternal verities, and he 2 adorned them with 
leaves from the fig tree, lilies from the field, branches from 
the vine. That day, if Luke refers to the same occasion, he 
took a text. His face beamed with holy light, and his 
presence emitted inscrutable power. Majestically, musically, 
his voice rang out as he read : 3 "The Spirit of the Lord is 
upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach." He spoke 
4 with authority, and with affectionate earnestness ; but with 
all his grace of manner he was no trimmer, and he brooked 
no rival. There was no coercion ; he left every soul free to 
choose his own way, but he utterly blasted 5 the hope of the 
hypocrite and the time server. 

His teaching created profound astonishment in the minds 
of his hearers. They 6 wondered at the gracious words that 
proceeded out of his mouth. In their wonder they began to 
consider. Four questions arose in their minds. First was 
the question of his knowledge : "Whence hath this man these 
things?" He was not 7 a scion of the schools, nor was he 
associated with men of learning ; and yet there seemed to 
be no limit to what he knew. He met the ablest teachers 
of his day, but not once was he confounded. In no case 
did he exhibit the slightest perplexity or surprise. The 

8 shrewdest lawyers were unable to entangle him in his talk, 
and the strictest Pharisees failed to convict him of error. 
He simply knew, and spoke out of limitless knowledge. It 
was a puzzling question, and it is still a puzzle for those 
who do not accept him as the Son of God : Whence did he 
get his knowledge? 

1 John 4 : 10 ; Mat. 13 : 33 ; Mark 4:3; Luke 13 : 34 ; John 
11 : 25. 

2 Luke 13 : 6 ; Mat. 6 : 28 ; John 15 : 6. 6 Luke 4 : 22. 
s Isa. 61: 1. 7 John 7: 15. 

4 Mat. 7 : 29. 5 Mat. 23 : 33. 8 Mat. 22 : 15, 35. 



MARK VI : 2, 3. 81 

wrought by his bands? 3 Is not tbis the carpenter, tbe son 
of Mary, and brother of 6 James, and Joses, and Judas, and 
Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they 

6 Or, Jacob. 



Second was the question of his wisdom : "What is the 
wisdom?" It was a wisdom which none of his adversaries 
were able to resist. It was shown in the truths selected for 
presentation, in the manner of setting them forth, and in 
the timeliness of his teaching. As a philosopher he pre- 
sented truth in the abstract, but as a guide of the people 
he gave practical precepts. With some specific utterance 
he touched nearly every relationship in life, and touched it 
with such skill that succeeding ages have suggested no 
amendment. The wisdom which astonished the people of 
his own country has astonished the sages of every land ; 
and even to this day unbelief has found no solution for 
the problem. 

Third was the question of his works : "Such mighty 
works wrought by his hands." In the presence of doubt 
and disbelief Jesus appealed to his works. 1 To John in the 
gloom of the dungeon he sent a message : "The blind receive 
their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the 
deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have good 
tidings preached to them." 2 To scoffing Jews in Solomon's 
porch he said : "If I do not the works of my Father, believe 
me not." He went about doing good, expelling demons, 
healing diseases, that prophets might be sustained 3 in the 
saying : "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sick- 
nesses." Before the eyes of the world 4 God bore him witness 
both with signs and wonders, and with various acts of power 
and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his will. Wind 
and sea obeyed him, demons acknowledged his sway over 
them. In so far -as prodigies could dispel doubt, he left 
nothing undone. 

Fourth was the question of his identity : "Is not this the 
carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James and 
Joses, Judas and Simon?" Joseph, the husband of Mary, 
5 was a carpenter ; in due time Jesus learned the trade, and 
worked in the shop at Nazareth. In one of so humble origin 
and so lowly occupation the Nazarenes saw not the prom- 
ised Messiah, no matter how vast his knowledge, how amaz- 
ing his wisdom, how mighty his works. They understood 
not the change of mission and ministry that came as he 
passed under the waters of baptism a carpenter, son of a 

1 Mat. 11 : 5. 3 Mat. 8 : 17. n Mat. 13 : 55. 

2 John 10 : 37. 4 Heb. 2 : 4. 



82 MARK VI: 3-7. 

were 7 offended in him. 4 And Jesus said unto them, A 
prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and 
among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could 
there do no 8 mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon 
a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled be- 
cause of their unbelief. 

And he went round about the villages teaching. 

7 And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send 
them forth by two and two ; and he gave them authority 
7 Gr. caused to stumble. 8 Gr. power. 

carpenter, and came forth claiming to be the Christ, Son 
of the living God. They were offended in him, stumbling 
and falling short of the truth through the blindness of their 
hearts. 

Assuming himself to be a prophet of Jehovah, Jesus ap- 

4 propriated to himself the familiar saying : "A prophet is not 
without honor, save in his own country, and among his own 
kin, and in his own house." At that time his brothers and 
and sisters * did not believe on him. It was difficult for them 
to recognize him as superior to themselves, and it was a 
grief to him for them to stumble. At first 2 his own received 

5 him not, but later they learned the truth. Their unbelief 
barred the door of blessing. "He could there do no mighty 
work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk," in 
whom he found a different spirit. In consideration of the 
various forms of evidence presented to them their unbelief 

6 was as much a matter of astonishment as was 3 the faith of 
the centurion a little while before. Adjacent villages fur- 
nished opportunity for his work, of which 4 Matthew gave 
a more extended account. Suffering multitudes evoked his 
compassion, and impressed him with the plenteous harvest 
that awaited faithful laborers. 

7 The work was enlarging ; and he called the twelve, who 
were already under apostolic appointment and training. The 
time was ripe for them to begin a somewhat independent 
campaign. They were paired off in groups of two, but the 
grouping was not recorded. The arrangement harmonized 
with 5 Solomon's wisdom, and afforded each a helper, as it 
also laid upon each the obligation to help. Before setting 
out on their mission they received in some unknown way a 
new enduement of power. The word for power, exousia, 
was used of the divine authority which belonged to 6 Jesus 

1 John 7:5. * Mat. 9 : 35. 

2 John 1: 11. 5 Ecc. 4: 9, 10. 

3 Luke 7:9. 6 Mark 11 : 28, 29 ; Mat. 9 : 6 ; 28 : 18. 



MARK VI: 7-11. 83 

over the unclean spirits ; 8 and he charged them that they 
should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only ; no 
bread, no wallet, no 9 money in their 1 purse; 9 but to go 
shod with sandals : and, said lie, put not on two coats. 10 
And he said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a house, 
there abide till ye depart thence. 11 And whatsoever place 
shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth 
9 Gr. brass. J Gr. girdle. 

as the Son of God, whereby he upset current notions, for- 
gave sins, or urged his followers to make disciples of all 
the nations. x Paul spoke of the exousia which he received 
as an apostle of the Lord. It implied both the liberty and 
the ability to act in harmony with one's own will. As 
indicating the equipment of the apostles it meant power over 
disease, demons, death. - Matthew spoke more elaborately : 
"Power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal 
all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." In the 
exercise of that power, and in recognition of the bounty 
bestowed upon them, they were instructed to heal the sick, 
cleanse the leprous, raise the dead, and cast out demons, 
the last indicating power for all the rest. 

With such a mission before them they received special 

8 instruction concerning their physical equipment. They were 
told to take nothing for the journey, ei me rhaodon, if not a 
staff, the language implying that it was optional. Lukf 
said : "No staff," the idea being that it was not essential, 
and they were not to bother about getting a staff, if one 
was not at hand. They were to provide no bread, no wallet 

9 or traveler's bag, no money, no shoes, but rather sandals as 
the simplest style of foot wear, nor even the extra burden 
of two coats. The coat, chiton, was a garment usually worn 
next the skin, while the cloak, himation, was an outer gar- 
ment, the two being set in contrast in Matthew 5 : 40. 

They were instructed also in the matter of conduct. They 
were not to go among 3 Gentiles or Samaritans, but rather 

10 to the chosen people. The time was not yet come for a 
universal gospel. They were to accept hospitality, when it 
was offered, and were not to change around, as if hunting 

11 for something better. If in any case they were not received, 
they were to meet rejection with rejection, even shaking off 
the dust from their feet in token of the renunciation which 
they felt in their hearts. Not the preachers, but those who 
rejected them and their message were the losers ; and 4 they 
would have to meet the record at the day of judgment. 

*2 Cor. 10: 8. 3 Mat. 10 : 5, 6. 

2 Mat. 10 : 1. 4 Mat. 10 : 15. 



84 MARK VI : 11-14. 

thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a 
testimony unto them. 12 And they went out, and preached 
that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, 
and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. 
14 And king Herod heard thereof; for his name had be- 
come known : and 4 he said, John the Baptizer is risen from 

4 Some ancient authorities read they. 

Viewed as a whole, the instruction indicated absolute de- 
pendence on God and the people who received the service. 
The laborer was worthy of his living, and the people for 
whom he labored were to furnish it. Going out without a 
day's provisions, and without money to buy a meal or a 
night's lodging, indicated a faith that was sure to win ; and 
it won, as it always does. 

They were not instructed concerning the doctrine which 
they were to preach, months of association with Jesus hav- 
ing been devoted to that. The one band became seven, Jesus 
departing alone to continue his work in various places, and 
the apostles going out in six different ways. It was a case 
of dividing in order to reach more people. 

12 Following the method established by John and Jesus the 
apostles laid upon men the obligation to turn from the ways 
of sin to serve the living God. "They went out, and preached 
that they should repent." There was a distinct recognition 
of men's ability to leave the paths of iniquity ; they could 
not regulate their emotions, but they could direct their con- 
duct. Of themselves they could not renew their own hearts, 
but they could 1 break off their sins by righteousness, and 
their iniquities by showing mercy. God commands all men 
everywhere to repent, and every obligation of the gospel 
assumes that they are able to heed the command. 2 "He 
that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul," saith the 
Lord ; and by every sacred interest, both for this life and 
for that which is to come, men are urged to turn from sin. 

13 The preaching of the apostles was attended by mighty 
works. Demons were cast out, and diseases were healed by 
the use of oil. Oil was a symbol of gladness, such as arose 
from a sense of being healed ; in some cases it was probably 
a remedial agent, and in any case it was a support for weak 
faith, like 3 the woman's touch of the Lord's garment, 4 the 
clay on the eyes of the blind man, or any other physical 
means used by the Lord in working cures. 

The method of dividing up and preaching in different 

14 places aroused new interest. People were talking of what was 

1 Mat. 9 : 21. 2 Prov. 8 : 36. 3 Mat. 9 : 21. 4 John 9 : 6. 



MARK VI: 14-18. 85 

the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him. 15 
But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a 
prophet, even as one of the prophets. 16 But Herod, when 
he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen. 
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon 
John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, bis 
brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. 18 For John 
said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy 

going on about them, and Herod also heard about it. It was 
Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great and a Samaritan 
woman named Malthace, brother of Archelaus and half brother 
of Philip and Aristobulus. In the division of his father's 
kingdom Antipas was made tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, 
the title of king being sometimes accorded him. He was in 
power about forty years, and witnessed many stirring events. 
He had probably heard of Jesus before ; but he was busy 
with other matters, and cared very little for religious move- 
ments among his subjects. In fact he was often away from 
the country. When tidings of the wonderful works done by 
the Lord and by others in his name reached the palace, 
Herod's conscience awoke. However skeptical in other 
matters, however reprobate in life, he believed in the im- 
mortality of the soul, and in the resurrection of the dead. 
In that he sided with the Pharisees. The ghost of John 
seemed to haunt him ; and as others were undertaking to 
account for the power of Jesus, Herod said : "John the 
Baptizer is risen from the dead, and therefore do these 
powers work in him." It was a perfectly fair inference that 
one who could break the shackles of death could work any 
other miracle. Whether John or some other man, only a 

15 prophet sent from God could do such things. There was a 
current notion that Elijah was to return to the earth, and 

16 some said Jesus met all the demands of the case ; but Herod 
said : "It is John." 

At that point Mark entered into an explanation of the 

17 case. The death of John was accomplished through Herodias. 
According to secular history Herod first married a daughter 
of Aretas, king of Arabia, under whose sway 1 the governor 
of Damascus desired to arrest Paul. Later the Arabian 
wife was divorced, and Herodias became the wife of Herod. 
She was a daughter of Aristobulus, and was previously 
married to his brother Philip. Both alliances were unlaw- 
ful ; but Herod gave double offense in putting away his wife 

18 and in taking his brother's ; and against that iniquity John 
directed his stern reproof. Herod felt the justice of the 
1 2 Cor. 11 : 32. 



86 MARK VI: 18-24. 

brother's wife. 19 And Herodias set herself against him, 
and desired to kill him; and she could not; 20 for Herod 
feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, 
and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he 5 was much 
perplexed; and he heard him gladly. 21 And when a con- 
venient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a 
supper to his lords, and the 'high captains, and the chief 
men of Galilee; 22 and when 7 the daughter of Herodias 
herself came in and danced, 8 she pleased Herod and them 
that sat at meat with him ; and the king said unto the 
damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it 
thee. 23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask 
of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. 24 
And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I 

5 Many ancient authorities read did many things. 

6 Or, military tribunes. Gr. chiliarcJis. 

"' Some ancient authorities read 7ms daughter Herodias. 
8 Or, it. 

19 censure, and received it without special resentment ; but 

20 Herodias writhed under it, and plotted vengeance. She had 
murder in her heart ; and when her hand was too weak to 
execute her will, she had recourse to strategy. When a day 
convenient for her evil designs came, she seized the oppor- 
tunity. 

21 It was on Herod's birthday, at a high social function. 
For the entertainment of the bibulous guests, grandees of 

22 the realm, the daughter of Herodias herself, the language 
implying surprise, came in and danced. Dancing women 
usually attended such festivities, their costumes being quite 
as immodest as any seen in a modern ball room ; but they 
were generally persons of no social standing, and it was a 
strange and shocking thing for the daughter of a queen to 
appear in such a scene. The dignified Jewish maiden never 
so debased herself ; but Herodias was ready for any sacri- 
fice in order to wreak vengeance on John. * Special requests 
were made at such festivities, and custom required that they 
be granted. In mad infatuation Herod rather challenged 
the girl to make some reckless demand, and bound himself 

23 with an oath, swearing again and again : "Ask of me what- 
soever thou wilt, and I will give it thee." The issue was 

24 too grave to be met at once. She retired to consult her 
mother, who probably anticipated just such a crisis. Mat- 
thew passed the incident by saying simply that she was 

1 Herodotus ; Esther 5 : 3, 6. 



MARK VI: 24-29. 87 

ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer. 25 And 
she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and 
asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a 
platter the head of John the Baptist 26 And the king was 
exceeding sorry ; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them 
that sat at meat, he would not reject her. 27 And straight- 
way the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and com- 
manded to bring his head : and he went and beheaded him 
in the prison, 28 and brought his head on a platter, and 
gave it to the damsel ; and the damsel gave it to her mother. 
29 And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and 
took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 

25 put up to it by her mother. Soon she returned with a 
startling demand : "The head of John the Baptist." A 
platter was what would now be called a waiter, or tray, 

26 the head being necessarily severed from the body. The king, 
so called by courtesy, was exceedingly sorry, sorry to be 
caught in such a trap, sorry to violate his conscience and 
add sin to sin, sorry to destroy the great preacher. The 
term expressing his state of mind was used of Jesus in the 
garden. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful." Literally it 
meant encompassed with sorrow, but it was not the godly 
sorrow that leads to repentance. Herod felt himself bound 
by a rash and foolish promise, given under wicked oaths 
and witnessed by his companions ; and he would not reject 
the brutal demand. He was ruler in name, but not in fact. 
Had he known the truth, his only right course was to break 
the rash promise, and do justice. No promise, however 
secured, can bind a man to do wrong ; and any promise that 
involves the commission of sin ought to be broken at any 
cost. Sobered somewhat by the embarrassing position into 
which his rashness had placed him, Herod did not rise to the 

27 emergency. Adding sin to sin he sent a speJcoulator, one of 
Mark's Latin words, meaning a soldier of the guard, under 
orders to bring John's head. The command was promptly 

28 obeyed ; the promised head was brought, and given to the 
girl, who gave it to her mother. 

So passed away a man 1 equal to the greatest ever born. 
His work was done. What mattered the evil influences 
that carried him away? Going on before, he awaited on the 

29 eternal shore the coming of his Lord. Disciples heard of his 
tragic fate, the language implying that they did not witness 
the scene, but were in touch with current events. Most of 
them had become disciples of Jesus, seeing in him 2 the 

1 Mat. 11: 11. 2 John 1: 29. 



88 MARK VI: 30-34. 

30 And the apostles gather themselves together unto 
Jesus ; and they told him all things ? whatsoever they had 
done, and whatsoever they had taught. 31 And he saith 
unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and 
rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and 
they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they went 
away in the boat to a desert place apart. 33 And the 
people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran 
together there 9 on foot from all the cities, and outwent them. 
34 And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he 
9 Or, by land. 

Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world ; but 
none the less they loved and admired John. Reverently 
they took up the headless corpse, and laid it in the tomb ; 
but they did not mark the spot. 1 They went and told 
Jesus ; but he made for record no word of comment. The 
event was not stranger than thousands that come to pass 
day by day. 

30 The apostles returned from their first preaching trip, and 
reported to Jesus, the language implying that they gave a 

31 detailed narrative, which was not put on record. After hear- 
ing the report Jesus bade them turn aside and rest a while. 
The rest was well earned. However willing the spirit, the 
flesh had its limitations. Like other people, apostles needed 
seasons of repose apart from the crowd, where burdens of 
responsibility were not so heavy. 

32 As quietly as possible Jesus and the twelve went away in 
a small vessel ; they were out for rest, and were in no hurry. 

33 The eager multitudes saw the departure, anticipated the des- 
tination, and started in pursuit over land, picking up re- 
cruits out of the cities, and increasing in number as they 
went. It was about 2 the time of the passover at Jeru- 
salem, and the roads were thronged with people going up to 
that. There was much talk of the teachings and works of 
Jesus, and all were anxious to hear him and to witness 
some display of his power. 

In due time Jesus and his party touched 3 at Bethsaida, 
situated near the mouth of the upper Jordan ; thence they 
proceeded to some point not designated, and afterward 
passed 4 out among the hills that rise up from the shore. 

34 They found throngs of 5 people already assembled. The 
sight of them, as they wandered like sheep without a shep- 
herd, stirred the Lord's compassion. His sympathy was 
stronger than his desire for rest ; and at once he took up 

1 Mat. 14 : 12. 3 Luke 9 : 10. 5 Mat. 14 : 13. 

2 John 6:4. 4 John 6 : 3. 



MARK VI : 34-40. 89 

had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not 
having a shepherd : and he began to teach them many things. 
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came 
unto him, and said, The place is desert, and the day is now 
far spent; 36 send them away, that they may go into the 
country and villages round about, and buy themselves some- 
what to eat. 37 But he answered and said unto them, Give 
ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and 
buy two hundred ' shillings' worth of bread, and give them 
to eat? 38 And he saith unto them, How many loaves have 
ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and 
two fishes. 39 And he commanded them that all should 2 sit 
down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat 

1 The ward in Greek denotes a coin worth about eight pence 
half-penny, or nearly seventeen cents. 

2 Gr. recline. 

the labors from which he so lately escaped, and began to 
teach and to exercise his power of healing. It was the 
same old story. 

35 As the day wore on, the question of food naturally arose. 
Jesus had a purpose in mind, and a spoke to Philip about 
feeding the people. On a brief estimate Philip thought two 
hundred denaria would be required to meet the expenses of 
the occasion. The denarion, a Latin word passed over to 
the Greek, was a coin worth sixteen and two-third cents. 
Philip's estimate was about $34, and 2 he was quite right in 
saying that was not enough, each man taking but little. 
Only downright dullness finds any difficulty in the variant 
records given by different writers. While Jesus was speak- 
ing with Philip, disciples were thinking of the same theme ; 
some of them came to Jesus about the same matter, and 

36 suggested that the people be sent away to get supplies. 

37 To them Jesus began to disclose the purpose which he had 

38 in mind, saying : "Give ye them to eat." On investigation 
it appeared that five loaves of barley bread and two small 
fishes constituted the available supply, and they were fur- 
nished 3 by a lad in the company. The loaves were so small 
that a man would borrow 4 three to set before a transient 
guest. In comparison with the demand the supply seemed 
practically nothing ; but Jesus was not abashed. 

39 So instructed by the Lord the people sat down on the 

40 grass, 5 which covered the mountain side. They were ar- 
ranged in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. Mark used a 

1 John 6:5. 3 John 6:9. 5 John 6 : 10. 

2 John 6:7. * Luke 11 : 5. 



90 MARK VI: 40-44. 

down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41 And be took 
the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, 
he blessed, and brake the loaves; and he gave to the dis- 
ciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he 
among them all. 42 And they all ate, and were filled. 43 
And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also 
of the fishes. 44 And they that ate the loaves were five 
thousand men. 

descriptive term implying that the squads of people sitting 
on the grass looked like the orderly array of garden beds. 

1 The method of Jesus included orderliness. He was never 

41 the author of confusion. He took the loaves and the fishes, 
and asked a blessing. It was grace before a meal. The 
rest was quite as easy. The power was in Jesus, but it 
was applied to existing needs through the disciples. He 
was able to give bread from heaven, 2 as was done in the 
wilderness, or to make the ravens messengers of distribu- 
tion, 3 as in the case of Elijah ; but he chose to work through 
the hands of his friends, and to share his own glory with 
them. It was an honor to the disciples to be the instrument 
of blessing to the people, and it gave them dignity and stand- 
ing with the multitudes, who ate from their hands. As they 
shared the glories of that day, 4 so shall the loyal disciple 
share the Lord's triumph in the end. Jesus is able to sup- 
ply every need of the race, as his people are willing to bear 
the blessing. 

42 As the Lord's bounty is sufficient for all, all had enough, 
and the remnants of the feast were more than the original 

43 supply : "They took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls," 
the size of the baskets not being indicated, but the lan- 
guage suggesting more than was had at the beginning. In 

44 the hands of Jesus the little became much. Those who gave 
all to Jesus were better off for the giving. Thousands were 
fed, but plenty remained. The counting up clearly showed 
the results of generosity, at the same time it taught a 
lesson in economy. Nothing was to be wasted, though Jesus 
was there to multiply supplies a thousand fold. 

45 With the close of a busy day Jesus constrained his dis- 
ciples to embark for Bethsaida, which they had passed on 
the way that morning. 5 John said they went toward Caper- 
naum, which lay beyond Bethsaida, the two utterances being 
entirely harmonious. The question whether there were two 
towns of the same name, or a sort of double town lying on 
either side of the river, is of no importance, and there is no 

1 1 Cor. 14 :40. 3 1 Kings 17 : 6. B John 6 : 17. 

2 Ex. 16 : 15. 4 Luke 22 : 29. 



MARK VI: 45-50. 91 

45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter 
into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to 
Beihsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away. 
46 And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into 
the mountain to pray. 47 And when even was come, the 
boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 
48 And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was 
contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he 
cometh unto them, walking on the sea ; and he would have 
passed by them : 49 but they, when they saw him walking 
on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 
for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straight- 
way spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good 

way of settling it. As indicated by the word constrain, the 
disciples were reluctant to undertake the trip, the reasons 
riot being given. Jesus tarried with the people, who were 
greatly stirred by what they had seen and heard, and were 
1 thinking of proclaiming him king. It was a sad season for 
Jesus, as he saw the people clamorous about feeding their 
bodies rather than feasting their souls ; and when he had 

46 repelled their offer and sent them away, he had recourse to 
prayer. 

The doctrine of prayer accords with universal nature. 
In time of drouth every green herb lifts its pale blades, as 
if imploring rain. 2 Ravens cry to the Creator. 3 Lions seek 
their meat from God. All grades of mankind pray. In its 
nobler sense prayer is not simply words. 4 much less is it 
clamor ; rather is it an attitude of soul. It is an experience 
by which the spirit of man enters into fellowship with the 
Father of spirits, kindling aspiration and uniting it with 

47 attainment, seeking and finding, knocking and entering the 
open door. 

48 Later in the evening Jesus saw the disciples, who had 
embarked under constraint, struggling with adverse winds. 
The distance between him and the boat made no difference, 
5 the eyes of the Lord being in all places. He was able to 
quiet the storm at once, but he had another plan. In the 

49 night he approached them, walking on the turbulent waters. 
He was showing his independence of the elements, his domin- 
ion over the sea. He walked, as if he intended to pass by ; 

50 but a cry arose. The disciples took him for a ghost ; they 
were alarmed, and in their terror they cried out. Immedi- 
ately he spoke to them, calming their fears. He was not 
there to harm, but to help. Then was recorded Peter's at- 

1 John 6 : 15. 3 Psa. 104 : 21. 5 Prov. 15 : 3. 

2 Luke 12 : 24. i Mat. 6 : 7. 



92 MARK VI: 50-56— VII : 1, 2. 

cheer : it is I ; be not afraid. 51 And he went up unto them 
into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore 
amazed in themselves ; 52 for they understood not concern- 
ing the loaves, but their heart was hardened. 

53 And when they had 3 crossed over, they came to the 
land unto Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54 And 
when they were come out of the boat, straightway the peo- 
ple knew him, 55 and ran round about that whole region, 
and began to carry about on their 4 beds those that were 
sick, where they heard he was. 56 And wheresoever he en- 
tered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they 
laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that 
they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: 
and as many as touched 5 him were made whole. 

7 And there are gathered together unto him the Phari- 
sees, and certain of the scribes, who had come from Je- 
rusalem, 2 and had seen that some of his disciples ate their 

3 Or, crossed over to the land,, they came unto Gennesaret. 

4 Or, pallets. 5 Or, it. 

51 tempt to walk on the water, as * given by Matthew. He 
went aboard with the bedraggled apostle, whose faith was 
not sufficient to bear him up on the waves. Without uttering 
a word he brought calm to the sea, and also quiet to troubled 
souls. Amazement took the place of fear. They knew the 

52 facts of previous miracles, but they did not at first give 
them their full meaning. Later they understood, and bow- 
ing humbly at his feet they confessed him the Son of God. 

53 Gennesaret was an open plain lying on the west side of 

54 the sea, quite fertile, very populous. The people appreci- 

55 ated the presence of Jesus among them, and took advantage 

56 of it to bring blessing to their afflicted friends. In all the 
region wherever he went the sick were brought to him, that 
they might touch his garments. The story of the woman 
who was healed by a touch had gone abroad, or else like 
her they needed some physical support for their faith. As 
many as had faith to lift a finger got a blessing. 

In the synagogue at Capernaum Jesus met the people who 
had followed on from the scene of feeding the five thousand ; 
and there he discoursed on the bread of life, as recorded in 

1 the sixth chapter of John. About him gathered the Phari- 

2 sees, also certain scribes from Jerusalem. Watching as 
1 Mat. 14 : 28. 



MARK VII: 2-4. 93 

bread with 6 defiled, that is, mrwashen, bands. 3 (For the 
Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands 

7 diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders ; 4 
and when then come from the marketplace, except they 

8 bathe themselves, they eat not ; and many other things 
there are, which they have ^received to hold, 9 washings of 

6 Or, Common. 

7 Or, up to the elbow. Gi\ with the fist. 

8 Gi\ baptize. Some anc-ient authorities read sprinkle them- 
selves. 

9 Gr. baptizings. 

usual, they noticed that some of the disciples ignored popular 
tradition, and ate without formally washing their hands. 
As if to meet questions naturally arising in the minds of 

3 persons unfamiliar with Jewish customs, Mark explained 
that Pharisees, and Jews generally, but hardly universally, 
were so very strict about ceremonial purity : "Except they 
wash their hands diligently," literally, with the fist, placing 
the closed fist in the hollow of the other hand, and going at 
the job with might and main, "they eat not, holding the 
tradition of the elders." 

Traditions were opinions passed down from generation 
to generation, often with variation and enlargement. In 
the stricter view they were supposed for the most part to 
run back to Moses, being transmitted through the elders, 
who were not essentially official persons, but were simply 
the teachers of former times. They were designed to illus- 
trate and expand the written law, though they sometimes 
nullified and supplanted it. The law emphasized the dis- 
tinction between things clean and things unclean, while the 

4 traditions went into detail in applying the distinction. Mark 
cited the matter of hand washing before meals, of bathings 
after coming from market where there was strong probabil- 
ity of being defiled in the crowd, and of washing cups and 
pots, brazen vessels and even table couches. 

For the phrase, bathe themselves, the TVestcott and Hort 
text has rhantisontai, which is properly translated sprinkle 
themselves. In favor of the TVestcott and Hort term, which 
is found in some ancient copies, two considerations are pre- 
sented. First is the unreasonableness of a tradition requir- 
ing the orthodox Jew to plunge himself into a bath whenever 
he came from market ; second is the absurdity of trying 
to make baptisontai mean anything other than such a plung- 
ing. The Scrivener text, however, which sums up the studies 
of Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles and other such textual - 
ists, gives no hint of error in baptisontai. Only the re- 



94 MARK VII: 4r-7. 

cups, and pots, and brasen vessels *. ) 5 And the Pharisees 
and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples accord- 
ing to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with 

6 defiled hands? 6 And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah 
prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 

2 This people bonoreth me with their lips, 
But their heart is far from me. 

7 But in vain do they worship me, 

Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. 

6 Or, common. 

1 Many ancient authorities add and couches. 

2 Is. 29 : 13. 

markableness of the performance made it worth while for 
Mark to explain to what extremes orthodox Jews were 
forced by their traditions. It was the same punctiliousness 
that made x Pharisees wonder why Jesus did not first dip 
himself before dinner, the word for dip being bapto, which 
was used in recording 2 Naaman's act at the Jordan, when 
he went to be healed of his leprosy. The law required 

3 frequent purifications, consisting sometimes in washing the 
clothes, shaving, washing the flesh, bathing the whole body, 
but only in special cases. In case of the bathings the 
things were to be put down into the water, as indicated by 
the word baptizo. They were literally baptized, or dipped. 
In classic and later Greek, excepting only those instances 
in which the term means a plunging into calamities, debts 
or other 4 figurative elements ; baptizo invariably means a 
plunging into water. Tradition extended the law which 
required the dipping of certain things under certain condi- 
tions, and demanded the dipping of persons and pots and 
pans and so forth under conditions not named in the law. 
The term for washings was baptismous, accusative plural, 
baptisms. The offense of the disciples in neglecting so strik- 
ing a custom was all the more glaring. 

5 It was a momentous question : "Why walk not thy dis- 

6 ciples according to the tradition of the elders?" The answer 
covered three aspects of the case : First, the question was 
not put in sincerity, but was a mere quibble, born of 
hypocrisy : "You hypocrites !" The traditional observances 
of which so much was made were external matters ; they 
did not touch the heart, nor did they in any way move the 

7 soul. They brought no uncommon guilt, but they brought 

1 Luke 11 : 38. 

2 2 Kings 5 : 14. 

3 Lev. 11 : 25, 32 ; Lev. 14 : 9 ; Lev. 15 : 5, 8, 11. 
•Mat. 20: 22. 



MARK VII : 8-11. 95 

8 Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tra- 
dition of men. 9 And he said unto them, Full well do ye 
reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tra- 
dition. 10 For Moses said. 3 Honor thy father and thy 
mother ; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let 
him 4 die the death: 11 but ye say, If a man shall say to 
his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have 
been profited by me is Corban, that is to say, Given to God; 

3 Ex. 20 : 12 ; Dt. 5 : 16 ; Ex. 21 : 17 ; Lev. 20 : 9. 

4 Or, surely die. 

no blessing : "In vain do they worship me, teaching as their 
doctrines the precepts of men." 

Worship is a natural exercise of the human soul. The 
oldest records, the dimmest legends, the relics of remote 
times attest the practice of worship in every age and nation. 
Plutarch says it is possible to find peoples without cities or 
coins, laws or literature, but never a people without a form of 
worship, designed to secure divine favor and avert divine 
wrath. The Scriptures mention different kinds of worship, 
Baal worship, idol worship, image worship, true worship ; 
but there is one kind that has been singled out. and branded 
as a vain and abortive thing. It is the kind that puts the 
mere precepts of men for the truth of God. It is not a 
crime, but it is a folly. It is a waste of time, and of what- 
ever else is put into it. Just how much error may be ad- 
mitted into the worship of God without destroying its value 
is not known. The secret is with the Lord. 1 But the hour 
has come, when the true worshiper shall worship the Father 
in spirit and also in truth. 

8 As a second point in justification of the disciples for 
ignoring the traditions. Jesus points out the essential wrong 

9 of the Pharisees : "Ye leave the commandment of God, and 
hold fast the tradition of men." It is a contrast between 
the divine and the human, the written law and the oral 
utterance ; and it is not simplv adding to the word, but it 

10 is supplanting it. In illustration of the point Jesus cites 
the law which requires children to honor and sustain their 
parents, as taught by 2 Moses, and he shows how the law is 
set aside by the tradition which allows a child to escape the 
law's demands by simplv claiming that the aid which other- 

11 wise parents would receive has been diverted to God. The 
word Corban means a thing devoted to a sacred purpose. 
For example, if the old people are hungry, instead of send- 
ing them a dinner the child is allowed by tradition to say : 

1 John 4 : 24. - Ex. 20 : 12 ; Ex. 21 : 15. 



96 MARK VII: 12-18. 

12 ye no longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his 
mother ; 13 making void the word of God by your tradition, 
which ye have delivered : and many such like things ye do. 
14 And he called to him the multitude again, and said unto 
them, Hear me all of you, and understand : 15 there is noth- 
ing from without the man, that going into him can defile 
him ; but the things which proceed out of the man are those 
that defile the man 5 . 17 And when he was entered into 
the house from the multitude, his disciples asked of him the 
parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without 

5 Many ancient authorities insert ver. 16 : // any man hath 
ears to hear, let him hear. See ch. 4 ; 9 : 23. 

"The dinner is given to God," and the obligation of the law 
is fully met. As God does not sit down to the literal feast, 
the child can use it to satisfy his own hunger, and yet be 

12 guiltless, though the parents starve. If an ungrateful child 
chooses to utter the magical word Corban over the whole 
range of filial obligations, they no longer have any binding 
force over the conduct of the child toward the parents. At 
the same time the utterance of the word has no sanctifying 
power over the life of son or daughter ; it imparts no new 
character, and at best is simply a fictitious escape from 

13 duties that ought to be sacred. The tradition offers a liberty 
which appeals to the selfish heart ; so it is exalted, while 
the commandment of God is rendered utterly void, and noth- 
ing done for father and mother. 

14 A third point is the impossibility of defilement from with- 
out. The question of washing the hands so many times, 
and on so many occasions, is a mere matter of form. If 
observed, no one is the better; if not observed, no one is 

15 the worse : "There is nothing from without a man that go- 
ing into him can defile him." Not the cut of the hair or 
the style of the clothes determines the state of the heart. 
A Chinese queue or and Indian costume is not a matter for 
a missionary to consider, except as it concerns the moral or 
spiritual life. A man is no more a preacher for buttoning 
his collar behind, nor is he any less. The things that make 
or mar, that sanctify or defile, are the things that come 

16 from within. Let the hearing ear and the heedful heart 
take note. 

17 The disciples did not quite understand. The teaching had 
the elusiveness of a parable. It needed explanation. In 
the quiet of the private home, and apart from the crowd, 

18 the disciples asked for light. Their dullness seemed to 
puzzle the Lord, and he questioned : "Are ye so without 



MARK VII: 18-24. 97 

understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from 
without goeth into the man. it cannot defile him ; 19 because 
it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out 
into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean. 
20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that 
defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of 
men. 6 evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, 
adulteries, 22 coverings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, 
an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness : 23 all these evil things 
proceed from within, and defile the man. 

24 And from thence he arose, and went away into the 

G Gr. thoughts that are evil. 

understanding also?" Jesus was growing impatient, but 
realizing their need he proceeded to unfold his meaning. 
It was the simple fact that food which is eaten goes into 

19 the stomach and on through the physical system ; it does 
not enter into the heart, and so does not directly affect the 
moral or spiritual life. Xot this saying of the Lord, as 
suggested in the italics inserted by the translators, but this 
fact, which exists whether declared or not, makes all kinds 
of food clean, so far as questions of morality are concerned. 
The law's 1 distinctions between clean and unclean foods are 
designed primarily to preserve physical health, and are only 
shadows of good things to come in the spiritual realm. 
Apart from the fact that the one is forbidden by the law, 
and the other is not, there is no more moral quality in 2 eat- 
ing a swan than there is in eating a goose. The law which 
forbids the one and allows the other is intended to affect 
physical life, rather than spiritual. Jesus is not discount- 
ing or in any way dishonoring the law when he mentions 
the physical fact that makes all meats clean. 3 The kingdom 
of God is not a matter of food. 4 Purity originates within, 
and 5 to the pure all things are pure. Xot from the stomach, 
but from the heart, as the seat of moral qualities, are the 

20 elements of purity. From the same source proceed all the 

21 forms of evil, adulteries, coverings, deceit, fornications, mur- 

22 ders, thefts, and wickednesses of every degree. These are 

23 the fruitage of the corrupt tree, and they constitute the 
defilement of the race. 

The jealousy of Herod, the hostility of the Pharisees, the 
disposition of some to press him into official position, were 

24 reasons sufficient for Jesus to withdraw into the regions of 
Tyre and Sidon, lying to the northwest from Capernaum 

1 Lev. 11 : 2. 3 Rom. 14 : 17. B Rom. 14 : 20. 

3 Lev. 11: 18. 4 Ezek. 36: 26. 

—7— 



98 MARK VII: 2Jr-26. 

borders of Tyre 7 and Sidon. And he entered into a house, 
and would have no man know it; and he could not be hid. 
25 But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an 
unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at 
his feet. 26 Now the woman was a 8 Greek, a Syrophcenician 
by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth 

7 Some ancient authorities omit and Sidon. 

8 Or, Gentile. 

some sixty miles. Early in his public career x some persons 
from that region were in attendance upon his ministry. It 
was a pleasing change for him to leave the basin of the 
lake, and visit the mountain portion of Phoenicia. The 
notion that he was in some inscrutable way bound to keep 
within the limits of Palestine is fanciful. He owned the 
earth, and was at liberty to traverse it all according to his 
own good pleasure. His specific mission was primarily to 
the house of Israel, but not exclusively. When he pleased, 
he walked among the heathen. He -entered into a house, 
but whether that of a friend or of a hospitable stranger is 
not known. He desired quiet rather than publicity, but he 
could not be hid. A personality so wonderful was its own 
herald. 

Contrary to the general purpose of his visit to so remote 

25 a section a woman came immediately for aid. She did not 
belong to the chosen race, and yet she belonged to the needy 

26 race. She was a Greek, a Phenician of Syria, as dis- 
tinguished from a Phenician of Lybia, which lay toward 
the south. She was deeply afflicted in a daughter possessed 
of an unclean spirit. Though there were no newspapers to 
publish the tidings, she heard of Jesus through the activity 
of people who knew about him ; and as 2 faith came by 
hearing, she felt that in him there was hope of relief. "With- 
out delay she sought him out, fell at his feet in humble sup- 
plication, and besought him to cast out the demon from her 
child. 3 Matthew saw fit to preserve her very words : "Have 
mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David ; my daughter is 
grievously vexed with a demon !" Her child's case was her 
own. Mercy for the child was mercy for her. 

At first Jesus seemed not to heed : 4 "He answered her not 
a word." It was not that he did not intend to grant her 
request, and was induced to change his mind by the woman's 
appeal ; he waited for the woman to grow in patience and 
power. Her distress 5 moved the disciples to suggest send- 
ing her away ; it was pitiful to witness, but it was a means 

i Mark 3:8; Luke 6 : 17. 3 Mat. 15 : 22, 8 Mat. 15 : 23. 

2 Rom. 10 : 17. 4 Mat. 15 : 23. 



MARK VII : 26-28. 99 

the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said unto her, 
Let the children first be filled : for it is not meet to take the 
children's 9 bread and cast it to the dogs. 28 But she an- 
9 Or, loaf. 

of grace to her. The disciples also needed the lesson of per- 

27 severance. In the converation which arose Jesus said : "Let 
the children first be filled ;" but the idea of filling the chil- 
dren first implied that afterward there might be blessing 
for others. The divine mercy in Christ extended primarily 
to Israel, but it was not limited to Israel. Already x a 
Roman centurion had shown great faith, and had gained a 
son. The truth which the woman heard concerning Jesus 
exceeded all limitations of race and clime, else her faith was 
only presumption. Jews were children of the kingdom ; in 
Jewish opinion Gentiles were but dogs. Taking for the 
moment that view of the case, Jesus said : "It is not meet 
to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs." As 
a matter of fact the children were not making any com- 
plaint. They did not desire the bread which he provided. 
Many of them cared nothing either for him or for his teach- 
ings. His words to the woman, however, were not so severe 
as has sometimes been supposed. When he spoke of dogs, 
he did not use the term which designates the common de- 
spised and filthy dogs that run the streets of eastern cities, 
but rather dogs that are household pets. He used a diminu- 
tive term, which means little dogs, or doggies, such as come 
into the house, and play with children. 

28 The woman sees the point : "Yea, Lord ; and the doggies 
under the table eat of the children's crumbs." The Greek 
word which the translators have rendered even is a simple 
Tcai, the ordinary conjunction, and which is used primarily 
to tie on some additional word, or phrase, or sentence, each 
addition being of the same grammatical class as that to 
which it is added. There is also what is called the explica- 
tive hat, which introduces a new setting for something al- 
ready expressed. For example, it is said that 2 Jesus rode 
on an ass Jcai a colt; not that he rode two donkeys, but 
that he rode on an ass, and a young one at that. In a 
similar way the woman simply expands what Jesus has al- 
ready expressed. There is bread for the children, and 
there are crumbs for the house dogs under the table. To 
3 the Jew first, and also to the Greek. In the divine bounty 
there is enough for all. 

With more detail 4 Matthew recorded a specific commen- 
dation of the woman's faith : "O woman, great is thy faith." 

1 Mat. 8 : 13. 2 Mat. 21 : 5. 3 Rom. 1 : 16. * Mat. 15 : 28. 



100 MARK VII: 28-32. 

swered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord ; even the dogs under 
the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29 And he said unto 
her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of 
thy daughter. 30 And she went away unto her house, and 
found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out. 

31 And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and 
came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the 
midst of the borders of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto 
him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his 



She felt assured of his power to do what she desired ; equally 
sure of her claim on the divine mercy, and of the justice 
with which she pressed the claim. The saying of the woman 
was only an expression of the faith which she had ; it was a 
faith no broader than the truth which she heard about 
Jesus, and the expression of that faith, the claim of her 
heritage in the truth, marked the end of the conflict. There 

29 she reached the place of blessing, and Jesus said : "Go thy 
way ; the demon is gone out." Her strong faith took no 
counsel of probabilities ; it had the promise, and was satis- 
fied. Jesus spoke the word only, and the victory was won. 
The woman departed to her home, and found evidences of a 
struggle. The child was wrenched and shattered ; lying upon 
a bed ; but the demon was gone according to the word of 

30 the Lord. It was as the mother willed. The blank check 
given her by the Lord was cashed up just as she filled it out. 

31 After healing the child, Jesus departed from the scene, 
passed through Sidon, some twenty miles away, thence 
through the familiar scenes of Decapolis down to the lake- 
shore, and on to * some unnamed mountain. Soon the people 
began to gather about him, 2 bringing the sick of whatever 
ailment and casting them down at his feet, their afflictions 
being a mute appeal for help. From the multitudes that 

32 were healed, Mark singled out a special case : "One that 
was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech." A double 
healing was needed, though the impediment probably origi- 
nated in the lack of hearing. Persons who are deaf from 
infancy or from early life are usually incapable of articu- 
late and consecutive speech, though their vocal organs are 
complete. They do not talk, simply because they have no 
oral vocabulary, and know not how to utter words in har- 
mony with their thoughts. In modern times the deaf are 
taught to use the organs of speech, and some of them become 
quite accurate in the use of words. 

3 Mat. 15 : 29. 2 Mat. 15 : 30. 



MARK VII: 32-37. 101 

speech ; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. 
33 And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and 
put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his 
tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith 
unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And his ears 
were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he 
spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell 
no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more 
a great deal they published it. 37 And they were beyond 
measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well ; 
he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. 

It has long been an undecided question whether Jesus or 
the man is the subject in the clauses immediately following : 

33 "And having taken him away from the crowd privately, he 
put his fingers into his ears, and having spat, he touched 
his tongue, and having looked up into heaven, he sighed." 
This is a literal translation of the Greek, and the actions 
indicated are quite natural for the man himself, but rather 
unaccountable on the part of Jesus. There is no known 
reason for Jesus to lead the man away from the crowd ; but 
the man's embarrassment in trying to communicate with 
the Lord sufficiently explains his desire to be in private. 
Putting his fingers into his ears, spitting and sputtering and 
touching his tongue, looking up to heaven and sighing for 
relief are all simple enough on the part of a man who 
speaks but poorly, and is trying by such gestures to make 
his condition and his desires known ; but if attributed to 
Jesus these performances are puzzling. The close connection 
of these clauses with the known action of Jesus in working 
the cure suggests him as the actor in each case, but as a 
matter of fact punctuation is a modern invention, and is 
often the result of interpretation. Besides, these clauses 
are all expressed in the historic tense, while in the next 

34 clause Mark uses the present : "And he says unto him, Eph- 
phatha." This is an Aramaic word, which Mark translates 
into the Greek dianoichtheti, first Aorist passive imperative, 
which is properly rendered, "Be opened." 

The command was addressed primarily to the faculty of 
hearing, but the power which it conveyed was equally appli- 

35 cable to the organs of speech ; and straightway his ears were 

36 opened, and his tongue became obedient to his will. The 
usual charge of privacy was given, and as usual was dis- 
regarded. The joy of the healed and the wonder of the wit- 
nesses were too exuberant to be kept in restraint by a re- 

37 quest, however earnest ; and in surpassing astonishment men 



102 MARK VIII: 1-7. 

8 In those days, when there was again a great multi- 
tude, and they had nothing to eat, he called unto hiin 
his disciples, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on 
the multitude, because they continue with me now three 
days, and have nothing to eat: 3 and if I send them away 
fasting to their home, they will faint on the way ; and some 
of them are come from far. 4 And his disciples answered 
him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with * bread 
here in a desert place? 5 And he asked them, How many 
loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he command- 
eth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took 
the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and 
gave to his disciples, to set before them ; and they set them 
before the multitude. 7 And they had a few small fishes : 
1 Gr. loaves. 

gave glory to the Lord, saying : "He hath done all things 
well." For the blind he administered sight ; for the deaf, 
hearing ; for the dumb, speech ; for the sinner, forgiveness. 
Every human need was met in him. 

1 The cure of the deaf man and the interest which it awoke 
drew the people together in an excited throng. In their deep 
concern over what they heard and saw they forgot how far 
they were from home and supplies ; after three days their 
provisions were exhausted, and they began to be hungry. 

2 Moved with compassion over the situation, Jesus said : 

3 "If I send them away fasting to their homes, they will 
faint on the way," being worn out with excitement and hun- 
ger. It was a strange thing that the disciples did not recall 
1 a similar occasion not long past. Once 2 they asked whether 
they should call down fire from heaven to consume inhos- 
pitable Samaritans, but not once in all their career did they 

4 ask Jesus to perform a miracle to meet an emergency. In- 
stead of suggesting a miracle they merely enquired : "Whence 
shall one be able to fill these men with bread here in a 
desert place?" Whatever money they had in the treasury, 

5 there was no market in reach. In answer to a question 

6 they said there were at hand seven loaves. Those were 
put into the hands of the Lord, who, after having the peo- 
ple seated, gave thanks, and proceeded with the distribution 

„ as in the former case, making the disciples the servants of 

7 the needy throng. Apparently after the bread was served, 
a few small fishes were discovered as a remnant of former 
supplies ; and after a second giving of thanks, recorded by a 
1 Mark 6 : 34. 2 Luke 9 : 54. 



MARK VIII: 7-9. 103 

and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also 
before them. 8 And they ate, and were filled: and they 
took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven baskets. 
9 And they were about four thousand: and he sent them 



different term, the fishes were also distributed among the 
hungry multitude. 

The two words used in referring to the two blessings are 
eucharisteo in the sixth verse and eulogeo in the seventh, 
suggesting eucharist and eulogy, the same two being used in 
the same form 1 at the memorial meal. Usage does not 
attach to either term the expression of any mysterious 
power. The first is the usual term for indicating the 2 formal 
thanks rendered at the beginning of a feast, or in general 
before eating ; but it has a wider range, and indicates the 
gratitude which is felt for any favor received, whether from 
God or from man. It is used by 3 Paul in mentioning his 
feelings toward his brethren who laid down their necks for 
his life, though he was duly thankful to God for such 
brethren, as also for those who went out to meet him as 
far as Appii Forum and Three Taverns. The second records 
the act of consecrating anything by asking God's blessing 
upon those who use it ; also of directly invoking a blessing 
upon any one. 4 It is used to record Melchisedec's blessing 
upon Abraham, Jacob's blessing upon Esau, or Simeon's 
blessing upon those who presented the infant Jesus. It is 
the term used by the 5 Lord in instructing his people to bless 
those that curse, and it implies the opposite of cursing. 

In harmony with the Lord's plans the wants of the multi- 
tude were fully supplied. In temporal supplies the dis- 
ciples were better off than they were at the beginning. More 
than four thousand people were fed, and silently sent away. 

The miracle was quite similar to that recorded in chapter 
6. In both cases there were the desert place, the hungry 
people, the question of available supplies, the report of 
bread and fish, the asking of divine blessing, the seating of 
the people, the distribution by the Master, the service ren- 
dered by the disciples, the gathering of the fragments, the 
record of the number fed, the mention of women and chil- 
dren, the dismissal of the people, and the departure of Jesus 
and the disciples. There were also differences. In the first 
instance the disciples took the initiative, in the second the 

1 Mat. 26: 26, 27. 

2 John 6 : 23 : Rom. 14 : 6. 

3 Rom. 16 : 4 ; Acts 28 : 15. 

4 Heb. 7:6; Heb. 11 : 20 ; Luke 2 : 34. 

5 Mat. 5 : 44 ; Rom. 12 : 14. 



104 MARK VIII: 9-12. 

away. 10 And straightway he entered into the boat with 
his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 

11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question 
with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him. 
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth 
this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There 

Lord ; in the first the crowd had been together for only a 
day, in the second for three ; in the first disciples proposed 
to feed the people, in the second Jesus assumed the responsi- 
bility ; in the first there were five loaves, in the second seven ; 
in the first there were two fishes, in the second a few not num- 
bered ; in the first the people sat on the grass, in the second 
on the ground ; in the first there was an orderly arrangement 
of the people in groups, in the second none ; in the first 
there was one giving of thanks, in the second two ; in the 
first food was given to the people, in the second it was set 
before them ; in the first there were twelve baskets of frag- 
ments, in the second seven ; in the first the baskets were 
kophinoi, the term indicating the usual market basket, in the 
second spures, denoting a basket * big enough to hold a man ; 
in the first five thousand men were fed, in the second four 
thousand ; in the first Jesus sent the disciples away to sea, 
while he went away to pray, in the second he went with 
them in a boat. 

10 From the scene of the miracle Jesus and the disciples 
passed over to Dalmanutha, a city which lay a little south 

11 of Capernaum, and of which no trace remains. Immediately 
Pharisees came forth from their homes thereabout, and in a 
spirit of opposition they began to question, asking for a 
sign. It was hot the first time such a demand was made. 
By such displas^s of power 2 Nicodemus was convinced : "We 
know that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no one 
can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him ;" 
but what convinced Nicodemus failed to satisfy the Phari- 
sees of Dalmanutha. Jesus was not averse to giving proper 
proofs of his power. 3 Before the disciples of John he 
worked wonders, and sent them to tell John the things 
which they saw and heard. He was willing to satisfy any 
reasonable doubt, but he declined to yield to the demands of 

12 mere quibblers. He was grieved that men were so obstinate. 
The generation that lived with him had ample opportunity 
to know. Why should other signs be required? 4 Matthew 
recorded a more elaborate discussion of the matter, showing 
that the people had broken faith with God, as an adulterous 
wife with her husband. They were not in a frame of mind 

*Acts 9: 25. 2 John 3: 2. 3 Mat. 11: 4. 4 Mat. 16: 1-4. 



M ARK VIII : 12-19. 105 

shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left 
them, and again entering into the boat departed to the other 
side. 

14 And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in 
the boat with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged 
them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Phari- 
sees and the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned one 
with another, 2 saying, 3 We have no bread. 17 And Jesus 
perceiving it saith unto them. Why reason ye, because ye 
have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither understand? 
have ye your heart hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? 
and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 
19 When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, 

2 Some ancient authorities read because iliey had no oread. 

3 Or, It is because ice have no bread. 

to be persuaded, 1 though one arose from the dead. Therefore 

13 no additional sign was given. The spirit shown by repre- 
sentative citizens was such that Jesus turned abruptly away, 
passing over to the other side of the lake and proceeding on 
through Bethsaida into the regions of Ceasarea Philippi, 
some thirty miles away. 

14 In the excitement incident to the sudden departure the 
disciples forgot to take on supplies. As they started, they 
had no bread except a single loaf, a scant reminder of 
previous stores. Whatever the* impression which Jesus left 
on the Pharisees of Dalmanutha, he was deeply impressed 
by them. Still thinking of the recent encounter with them 

15 he uttered a warning : "Beware of the leaven of the Phari- 
sees, and of the leaven of Herod." Naturally enough the 
word leaveu suggested bread, and painfully reminded them 
of their neglect in failing to provide supplies. Under the 
circumstances the warning for them meant only a restric- 
tion on their liberty in securing the necessary provisions : 
not from the Pharisees, nor from Herod, who was known 
as a - fox. They did not understand the force of the re- 
striction, whether it implied uncommon pollution on the 
part of Herod and the Pharisees, or uncommon danger to 

16 themselves. As they reasoned about the matter, Jesus broke 

17 in with sharp questionings, which bore the sting of rebuke : 
"Why reason ye?" After the two miracles of feeding which 
they had witnessed, and in which they had taken part, it 
was strange for them to be bothered about securing food. 

18 Were heart, eyes, ears, mind, memory, understanding, all for 

19 no purpose? When five loaves were broken among five 

1 Luke 16 : 31. 2 Luke 13 : 32. 



106 MARK VIII: 19-23. 

how many 4 baskets full of broken pieces took ye up? They 
say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among the 
four thousand, how many 4 basketfuls of broken pieces took 
ye up? And they say unto him, Seven. 21 And he said 
unto them, Do ye not yet understand? 

22 And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to 
him a blind man, and' beseech him to touch him. 23 And 
he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him 
out of the village; and when he had spit on bis eyes, and 

4 Basket in vers. 19 and 20 represents different Greek words. 

20 thousand, how many baskets full were left? When seven 

21 among four thousand, how many? In referring to the 
baskets Jesus used the words kophinoi and spures, preserv- 
ing the distinction made in the original occurrence, and 
bearing witness to the reality of the miracles. Surely it was 
not a question of getting something to eat. Equally surely 
the warning was not designed to shield them from defile- 
ment, since * nothing from without was able to defile. Slowly 
it began to enter into their dull and listless minds that 
2 leaven stood for doctrine, good or bad. 3 The leaven of 
truth was able to permeate and affect for good the whole 
mind and soul, likewise the leaven or error, though sanc- 
tioned by dignitaries of church or state. 

In due time the vessel on which they sailed touched at 

22 Bethsaida, mentioned in 6 : 45. Immediately the presence 
of Jesus became known, and his help desired. The whole 
world needed him, though some were not aware of the need. 
A blind man was brought, with a request that he be touched 

23 and healed. Jesus touched the man, when he took hold of 
him to lead him out of the town ; but it was not a healing 
touch. It was a guiding touch, designed to lead on to heal- 
ing. Had the man been obstinate, unyielding, resentful, he 
would have received no blessing. His willingness to be led 
indicated confidence in the Leader, faith to be healed ; and 
walking with Jesus was an aid to his faith. In such com- 
pany any man might be strong. As Jesus went leading the 
man away, he did not forbid people to follow on and wit- 
ness what would be done ; but mighty works had no charm 
for them. Apart from the throng Jesus spat on the man's 
eyes and laid his hands on him in some peculiar way. There 
was no virtue in the spittle or in the mere physical con- 
tact ; but each served as a support to a weak faith, and 
aided the man in appropriating the blessing for which he 
longed. Not seeking perfect vision, but some vision, Jesus 

1 Mat. 15 : 18. 2 Mat. 16 : 12. 3 Mat. 13 : 33. 



MARK VIII: 23-27. 107 

laid his hands upon him, he asked ttfrn, Seest thou aught? 
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men ; for I behold tlxem 
as trees, walking. 25 Then again he laid his hands upon 
his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and 
saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his 
home, saying, Do not even enter into the village. 

27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the vil- 
lages of Csesarea Philippi : and on the way he asked his 

asked: "Seest thou aught?" Seeing anything was better 
than total blindness, and indicated coming sight. Having 
lifted his eyes, no doubt with fear and trembling, the man 

24 said : "I see men, for I behold them as trees walking." At 
first there was an unsteady lifting of the eyes ; then a more 
attentive look, like that of one trying to make out just what 
he saw, as indicated in the word behold. It was a dim 
and distorted sort of sight, but it was real sight. It 
strengthened his faith in the Healer's power, and quickened 

25 the hope of something better. A second touch, the man 
meanwhile looking stedfastly, and the cure was complete. 
He saw everything clearly, the tense in which the statement 

26 is made indicating continuous use of restored vision. After 
the blessing the man was instructed not to return to the 
town, but to go directly home. The grateful soul obeyed 
the order, and it was the only instance in which a request 
for secrecy was strictly observed. 

When Jesus left Dalmanutha, he began a rather extended 

27 trip. As a prophet unhonored in his own country he turned 
to other scenes. Caesarea Philippi was an ancient settle- 
ment situated just where one of the streams that make 
up the Jordan gushes from a cavern* in the rock. There 
formerly Herod the Great erected a marble temple, which 
was dedicated to the honor, or the worship, of Augustus 
Caesar. At a later date Herod's son, Philip, who on the 
death of his father was made tetrarch of Trichonitis, re- 
built the place. Wishing to divide honors with Augustus, 
and also to distinguish the city from the Roman capital in 
Judea, he called it Caesarea Philippi. At that time it was 
a gay Roman city, permeated with heathenism and given 
over to various forms of false faith. Probably a sight of 
the splendid temple built on a cliff in plain view suggested 
1 the figure : "Upon this rock I will build my church," though 
this is only a surmise. Jesus was in the regions of the city, 
but there is no certainty that he entered the place at all. 

Somewhere on the trip he asked the famous question : 
"Who do men say that I am?" Luke recorded that 2 the 

1 Mat. 16 : 18. 2 Luke 9 : 18. 



108 MARK VIII: 27, 28. 

disciples, saying unto tliem, Who do men say that I am? 
28 And they told him, saying, John the Baptist ; and others, 

question was preceded by a season of prayer. Matthew re- 
ported the occasion more in detail. It was an epoch in his 
life, and equally in theirs. For more than two years he 
had been before the public ; for about twelve mouths he had 
been attended by chosen disciples, but at no time had he 
made a distinct avowal of his identity, nor had he required 
a dogmatic profession of faith. Conscious of inherent good- 
ness, busy with the world's woes he had gone about the 
Father's business, and had left men to weigh the evidence 
and reach stable conclusions. The time was come for a 
further advance. The question did not stress the quality of 
the teaching, but the personality of the teacher. He was 
the center around which gathered all the forces of the new 
kingdom, and against which all assaults were to be directed. 
He was not really trying to get information, for none knew 
better than he what men thought on any theme. He was 
kindling the thoughts of the disciples, who were not able 
to instruct him in any matter, and preparing them as his 
pupils for an examination soon to come. 

The question which he asked has come down through the 
centuries. Who is he? It is a living issue today, and it 
cannot be belittled or ignored. Jew and Gentile, whether 
philosopher or dolt, have admitted that Jesus lived a s rare and 
radiant life, died a sad and tragic death, and started influ- 
ences that have changed the trend of human thinking. The 
noblest minds of the race have regarded him as the source 
and center of human progress, and have accounted him as 
the mightiest among the holy and the holiest among the 
mighty. 
28 Who was he? Some said: "John the Baptist." John's 
rugged character, dauntless courage, and stern demand for 
repentance and reformation struck terror into the minds of 
evil doers, and kindled hope in devout hearts. He was a 
prophet clothed in power ; under his mighty call multitudes 
went forth, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing 
their sins. When later he became a victim of man's folly 
and woman's hate, there was a superstitious notion that his 
spirit walked abroad, embodied in a new personality and 
endued with new power by the experiences of the grave. 
Hearing of the fame of Jesus, 1 the royal murderer said : 
"This is John the Baptist ; he is risen from the dead, and 
therefore do these powers work in him." Others took up 
the notion which Herod started, and passed it on, seeing in 
Jesus a new Baptist clothed with new authority. 
1 Mat. 14 : 2. 



MARK VIII: 28, 29. 109 

Elijah; but others, One of the prophets. 29 And he asked 
them, But who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and 

Still others, being convinced that Jesus was a superior 
person, thought of the promised Elijah, who was destined 
to bring in the great and dreadful day of the Lord. To 
fervid fancy Elijah was a heroic figure. With the keys 
of the firmament in his hand 1 he locked up the reservoir of 
the clouds. With the whip of adversity 2 he scourged the 
erring people away from the altars of idolatry. With the 
arm of vengeance 3 he smote the prophets of Baal. In the 
end 4 there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and 
he passed into heaven on the wings of the wind. 5 The 
prophet said : "I will send you Elijah ;" and as men con- 
templated the mighty works of Jesus, they were ready to 
say that this was he. There was a tradition, too, that 
Jeremiah had hidden the Ark of the Covenant and the Altar 
of Incense in a cave in a mountain, and that he was to 
come again to disclose the secret place of those sacred em- 
blems. Naturally 6 his name crossed the minds of some 
who were studying the career of Jesus. Some were not will- 
ing to be specific, but they freely accorded him a place 
among the prophets of the Lord. In any case, if less than 
God, he was more than man in common clay. 

Many Jews of today admit as much. They admit that 
the character of Jesus was a marvelous disclosure of man's 
capacity for goodness, but they do not accept him as the 
promised Messiah. They regard his death as a deplorable 
event, but they do not consider it a sacrifice designed to 
effect the redemption of the race. 
29 From the opinions of the larger public Jesus abruptly 
turned to the inner circle of friendship : "Who say ye that 
I am?" There was emphasis on the personal pronoun "ye." 
7 In an emergency previously arising Peter had said : "We 
have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of 
God." It was a noble confession, but it did not go far 
enough. The world had seen many 8 holy men, who came 
to speak for Jehovah. Something more was expected. The 
issue was sharply drawn, and the world's best views did not 
accord Jesus a place higher than that of a prophet. As 
Messiah ° his claims were generally rejected. It was a 
solemn moment. Disciples looked one to another. Peter 
was first to find voice and courage to speak : "Thou art the 
Christ, 10 the Son of the living God." It was a truth which 

1 James 5 : 17. 5 Mai. 4:5. ° Isa. 53 : 3. 

2 1 Kings 18 : 39. 6 Mat. 16 : 14. 10 Mat. 16 : 16. 

3 1 Kings 18 : 40. 7 John 6 : 69. 

* 2 Kings 2 : 11. 8 2 Pet. 1 : 21. 



110 MARK VIII: 2&-32. 

saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged 
them that they should tell no man of him. 

31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must 
suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the 
chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three 
days rise again. 32 And he spake the saying openly. And 

*no man could discover by mere logical processes. It did 
not come into the mind of Peter through any uncommon 
intelligence, but through the operation of divine power : 
"Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father who is in heaven." By the same process 2 Paul dis- 
covered the truth : "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me." 
Such revelation, a revelation by which divine power attests 
to the individual soul the truth that Jesus is the Christ, 
was made 3 the foundation of the Christian system : "Upon 
this rock I will build my church." In the enjoyment of 
that revelation the apostle was supremely blessed : "Blessed 
art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah I" The blessedness extended to 
all who through the ages should come to a knowledge of the 
same glorious truth. 

That truth 4 dawned upon some of them in the beginning 
of their discipleship, but it was only a dawning. They had 
crude and temporal notions of the Messianic character and 
work, and only by degrees did they reach a better concep- 

30 tion. Knowing the truth, they were charged not to publish 
it at once. The knowledge disclosed to unsympathetic minds 
5 caused many to turn back, and walk no more with him. 
Those who were loyal had much to learn concerning the na- 
ture of his kingdom on earth ; they needed to 6 wait for 
instruction, as well as for power. They needed to ripen for 
the reception of truth not yet disclosed. 

The instruction began at once, but it was only a begin- 

31 ning. From that day he began a most difficult lesson to 
teach : "The Son of man must suffer." To express the 
necessity which held him in its relentless grip he used a 
strong term, dei, and impersonal verb akin to the word tie, it 
binds the Son of man to suffer at the hands of chief priests, 
elders, scribes, the three classes which constituted the San- 
hedrim The word embraced all forms of necessity, whether 
arising out of general circumstances, or out of moral or 
physical law, or out of statutory enactment or divine de- 
cree. In that case 7 it was a divine decree. By such a 

1 Psa. 139 : 6. B John 6 : 66. 

2 Gal. 1 : 15, 16. 6 John 16 : 12 ; Luke 24 : 49. 

8 Mat. 16 : 18. 7 Psa. 22 : 16 ; Isa. 53 : 7 ; Rev. 13 : 8. 
* John 1 : 49. 



MARK VIII: 32, 33. Ill 

Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he turn- 
ing about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, 
Get thee behind me, Satan ; for thou mindest not the things 

32 necessity the Son of man was bound to be rejected, killed, 
raised. He avowed it openly. After the event 1 he said : 
"Ought not Christ to have suffered?" 

It was a difficult conception for them. It mocked their 
highest hopes. They were living a sort of holiday life, 
drawn away from daily toil, rejoicing in his presence, eating 
at his hands as occasion arose, objects of curiosity, possibly 
of envy. They dreamed of 2 a warrior girt with the sword 
of conquest, traveling in the greatness of strength, treading 
enemies under foot, and staining his raiment in the blood 
of his foes. Contradiction of their views was a distinct 
shock, which wrenched their faith and tested their fidelity. 
Peter protested. He led in the confession ; also in the 
remonstrance. He took Jesus aside, that he might make 
the protest more personal and more severe. In language 
which indicated extreme presumption he began to upbraid 
his Master : 3 "God have mercy on thee, Lord ! This shall 
never be unto thee !" So he began, but he did not proceed 
very far. It was the only instance of popish presumption 
that he ever indulged. It contained two distinct insults. 
First, that there was a better way than that which Jesus 
had marked out ; second, that the disciple was wiser than 
the Lord. In either case Jesus lacked wisdom, and was not 
equal to the task which he had assumed. 

From the point to which he had withdrawn at Peter's 

33 request, Jesus glanced back, and saw the disciples looking on 
and listening with deep interest. The question raised was 
a vital matter. It brought a cloud so dark that the ray of 
light which gleamed in a promised 4 rising from the dead 
was not observed. In their anxious ears Jesus spoke in 
terms as severe as the language afforded, and as stern as if 
directed 5 against the devil himself : "Get thee behind me, 
Satan ! Thou art an offense unto me !" It was the lan- 
guage of abhorrence, aversion, disdain, and it struck into 
the heart of the erring apostle. Peter never forgot the 
rebuke. Some 8 sifting still awaited him, but from that 
hour he knew, as never before, that it was the disciple's 
duty not to question or amend, but to obey at any cost, and 
to count it a joy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord. 

The same principle of absolute submission to the will of 

1 Luke 24 : 26. i Mat. 16 : 21. 

2 Isa. 63 : 1-3. , 5 Mat. 4 : 10. 

3 Mat. 16: 22 (marg.). 6 Luke 22: 31; Acts 5: 29, 41. 



112 MARK VIII: 33, 34. 

of God, but the things of men. 34 And he called unto him 
the multitude with bis disciples, and said unto them, If any 

34 Christ needed a broader application. Calling the multitude 
with the disciples, Jesus said : "If any man would come after 
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." 
He said it in direct contrast with Peter's policy of dictating 
to the Lord, and trying to make his plans fit into human 
notions of what is best. The principle was of such im- 
portance that the Holy Ghost guided 1 three writers to state 
it in substantially the same words. Then, as now and al- 
ways, discipleship was not an idle dream, but a life of com- 
plete surrender to the will of Jesus. In its beginning such 
a life demanded self-denial, which was not a mere change of 
diet in spring, designated by the German word lent, or ab- 
stinence from some harmless diversion for a season, but 
entire obedience to the divine will. Paul expressed it in 
2 these remarkable words : "Casting down imaginations and 
every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of 
God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedi- 
ence of Christ, and being in readiness to avenge all disobedi- 
ence, when your obedience shall be made full." Self was as- 
serted in Peter, when he rebuked the Lord, and undertook to 
teach him a better way ; self was denied, when he yielded up 
his own notions, and accepted the plans of Jesus. 

A second demand of discipleship was cross bearing. In 
early Greek usage a stauros was an upright, pointed stake. 
Later, when the Greeks borrowed from the Phoenicians the 
most barbarous and ignominious mode of execution known 
to ancient times, the term was applied to the stake with its 
horizontal beam forming a cross, on which the basest crim- 
inals were put to death with horrible torture. The Romans 
adopted the same means of execution, and continued it till 
the time of Constantine. In some cases sentence to the, 
cross also required the victim to bear the instrument of 
death to the place of execution, and that judicial custom 
gave rise to the idea of bearing the cross. Jesus anticipated 
such a task, as he spoke of suffering many things, and be- 
ing rejected and crucified. Bearing a cross was not a 
trivial matter ; it was bearing an instrument of torture, that 
might be an instrument of agonizing death, and the phrase 
was applied only to heroic deeds, as men bore bitter perse- 
cution in the name of Jesus, or served him at the risk of 
fortune and life. Peter himself, who was shocked and almost 
scandalized at the first hint of a cross, afterward learned 
its magical meaning, and calmly wrote : "For as much as 

1 Mat. 16 : 24 ; Mark 8 : 34 ; Luke 9 : 23. 

2 2 Cor. 10 : 5. 



MARK VIII: 34, 35. 113 

man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take 
up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever would save 
his life shall lose it ; and whosoever shall lose his life for 

Christ hath suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with 
the same mind." Take up the cross, and bear it even unto 
death. 

This does not imply that the Christian is to make a 
cross for himself, or that cross bearing is in itself a virtue. 
The system of penance is based on the idea that a little hell 
assumed now will serve as a protection from a bigger hell 
in the future, like a case of cowpox deliberately taken to 
prevent a possible case of smallpox in time to come ! The 
cross is not an end in itself. Only in the larger view does 
Jesus assume the cross ; it is laid upon him by others, and 
it is necessary for him to bear it in order to accomplish 
the appointed work. Only in such a case is cross bearing a 
virtue. The cross must be taken up only when it lies in 
the path of duty, and so keeps the disciple from following 
the Lord. 

Equipped with a mind to suffer all things for Christ's 
sake the disciple is required to follow on in the way of 
obedience. In the literal sense it is a very simple matter : 
a trip from Judea to Galilee, from the plains to the moun- 
tains, from the populous region to the desert places, from 
the hither side of the lake to the other side, from the land 
of Israel to outlying regions ; but in the spiritual sense the 
words have a deeper meaning. They mean that obedient 
feet are to walk in all appointed paths, following on to 
know him whose going forth is prepared as the morning. 
1 Without such following all professions of faith are vain. 

The demands of discipleship are stern indeed, but they are 

35 worthy of being met. The effort to win by shunning them 

is a losing game : "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it." 

For life Jesus used the word psuche. A thousand years 
before his birth the term, kindred to psucho, to breathe, to 
blo-w, was used to designate that which distinguishes the 
living from the dead. In the Greek version of the Old 
Testament, called the Septuagint, made some three hundred 
years before the Christian era, and commonly used by Jesus 
and his disciples, psuche is used many times for the Hebrew 
word nephesh, which in the common version is translated 
by the word soul more than five hundred times, and fre- 
quently by the word life. In the New Testament the word 
psuche occurs ninety-eight times, being rendered soul fifty- 
seven times, and life forty-one. In the beginning God 

!Luke 14: 27. 
—8- 



114 MARK VIII: 35-38. 

my sake and. the 5 gospel's shall save it. 36 For what doth 
it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 
37 For what should a man give in exchange for his life? 38 
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words 
4 See marginal note on ch. 1 : 1. 

formed man out of dirt, the material part, and breathed 
into his nostrils the breath of life, the immaterial part, and 
man became chai nephesh, zosa psuche, living soul, the 
two constituting man as he appears on earth. In man what 
is not body is soul. The soul lives, and constitutes the life 
of the body ; and the word is sometimes used to express that 
fact without reference to other soul functions. In such 
passages, which may be determined by the connection, the 
psuche is the life-giving principle, and the word may be 
rendered life ; but there are many other passages in which 
it has a deeper meaning. In harmony with a rule requiring 
that any Greek word be uniformly translated, the American 
Revisers render the Lord's question in this connection : 
"What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world, and 
forfeit his life?" This, however, does not weaken the force 
of the question. If the wealth of the world is nothing to a 
dead man, what is it to a lost man? 

The question leaves every man to find the answer for him- 

36 self. He may decline to take up the cross and follow the 

37 Lord, but what does he gain at last? Or if he loses in the 
earthly game and wins in the heavenly, is it worth while? 
As a business proposition, which is best? 

Still impressing the importance of obedience to the divine 

38 will Jesus utters a warning for such as draw back through 
shame. Shame is a humiliating sense of personal degrada- 
tion brought on by unworthy conduct or debasing associa- 
tions. It imposes a crouching posture, a debased mien, a 
dodging movement, a throbbing pulse. So long as the face 
of transgression is able to blush, virtue is not extinct within, 
and hope of reformation is not dead. Yet this safeguard of 
piety is often perverted, and men blush for things conceived 
in righteousness, while they glory in their shame. 

In those days perverted judgment directed its scorn at the 
person of Jesus. It was ashamed of him. Born in a barn, 
and cradled in a manger, dwelling in poverty and consorting 
with sinners, he was despised. The trend of the world's 
thinking was averse to a leader of such lineage and such 
associations. Among Gentiles * their great ones were ap- 
pointed to rule over them, and dictate their manner of life. 
Jews recalled the days, when 2 the fame of Israel's court 

1 Mat. 20 : 25. 2 Mat. 12 : 42. 



MARK VIII: 38— IX : 1, 2. 115 

in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man 
also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory 
of his Father with the holy angels. 

9 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There 
are some here of them that stand by, who shall in no 
wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come 
with power. 
2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and 

extended to the utmost parts of the earth, and drew the 
queen of the south to witness and wonder. But Jew and 
Gentile alike drew back from one who was a greater than 
Solomon in all his glory. 

Shame was kindled also by his words. His teaching- 
dropped conventional phrase and empty platitude, and went 
to the heart of current selfishness. With thoughts that 
breathed set in words that burned he ripped the mask from 
hypocrisy, and proclaimed the day of liberty and equality 
among men. In his disregard of popular traditions he be- 
came an easy prey for the watch dogs of orthodoxy, and 
about him they set up a deprecatory howl. 

He gave assurance that shame should be met with shame. 
The contrast was against them. They ashamed ; he ashamed. 
They before a sinful people, whose idolatries were mentioned 
under the figure of adultery ; he before the Father in heaven, 
and all the holy angels. They at the time of his first ap- 
pearing ; he at the time of his second. That was the first 
distinct utterance concerning a second coming. In the first 
verse of the next chapter, which is in immediate connection, 
he announced that some of those who were present would 
live to see the kingdom come in power. They saw it at 
Pentecost, and in after years. 

In the year 1250 the Bible was divided into chapters by 
one Cardinal Hugo, the division into verses being made 
three hundred years later by Sir Robert Stephens. Chapter 
9 was introduced in the midst of a discourse, the first verse 
of the chapter being directly connected with preceding ut- 

1 terances. The coming of the kingdom in power, which it 
mentions, was not the second coming of Jesus, mentioned in 
the preceding verse, but the powerful advance of the new 
dispensation, such as was witnessed at Pentecost and in days 
immediately following. 

2 Six days after the incidents which occurred in the regions 
of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus took three disciples to an un- 



116 MARK IX: 2, 3. 

6 James, and John, and bringeth them up into a high moun- 
tain apart by themselves : and he was transfigured before 
them; 3 and his garments became glistering, exceeding 
6 Or, Jacob. 

known mountain and was transfigured before them. It 
was a high mountain not far away ; beyond that fact noth- 
ing is known, and guesses are a waste of time. From the 
record that * the disciples fell asleep, and that the descent 
from the mountain was on the next day, it has been in- 
ferred that the event occurred in the night ; but the matter 
is of no importance. The transfiguration of Jesus was not 
a digression from the main purpose of his earthly career, 
nor a mere episode to form a pleasing theme for artist and 
orator, nor a baseless fancy induced by a thunder storm 
sweeping over the mountain and arousing the drowsy senses 
of listless disciples ; it was a glorious reality, which was 
deemed worthy of record by 2 three inspired men. 
3 The meaning of the term transfigure is made clear by 
the sacred writers themselves. Matthew says : "His face 
did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the 
light." Luke tells it in these words : "The fashion of his 
countenance was changed, and his raiment became white and 
dazzling." With graphic touch Mark says : "His garments 
became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth 
can whiten them." Using the same term, 3 Paul says : "Be 
ye transformed," or speaking of the change wrought by the 
glory of God, he says, "Changed into the same image." As 
it comes to Jesus, it is a change which affects first his 
person and then his clothing. The meaning of the term is 
clear enough, but the more important meaning of the event 
itself has not been definitely disclosed. A vision of sur- 
passing glory, it bears a message only to such as have eyes 
to see and hearts to understand. 

It was a demonstration of Godhood in Jesus, an infallible 
proof of his divinity, and it was needed in connection with 
previous events. Some days earlier 4 Jesus made the first 
distinct disclosure of his approaching death : "The Son of 
man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders 
and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed." The 
words fell like a knell on the ears of men who loved him, 
and set them wild with dread. They adored him, but 5 they 
did not see in him the Father, nor did they realize that he 

i Luke 9 : 32, 37. 

2 Mat. 17 : 1 ; Mark 9:2; Luke 9 : 28. 

3 Rom. 12 : 2 ; 2 Cor. 3 : 18. 
*Mark 8: 31. 

5 John 14 : 9. 



MARK IX: 3. 4. 117 

white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. 4 And 
there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they 

held the resources of the universe in his hands. Six days 
they waited, struggling with disappointment and doubt. 
Then Jesus took them ro the mountain top. There the 
glory of his divine nature, which was hidden in human 
form, gleamed through the tabernacle of clay, the glory of 
heaven stooped to earth, and flooded the mountain with 
light. On the brow where care had brooded, on * the visage 
more marred than that of any man, on the head destined 
to be crowned with thorns, on the form soon to be robed 
in the scarlet of mockery there rested the light of God. It 
was a revelation such as the world had never seen before. 
The witnesses did not fully understand, and 2 they were not 
allowed to tell the little they knew. 

The substance of 3 the Lord's prayer at the opening of the 
4 vision was not recorded, and no man knows what he asked ; 
but there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah. They too 
represented whatever was best in the previous history of 
the race. They knew the gods of heathenism, whether of 
Assyria or Egypt, Greece or Rome. They were familiar 
with all the systems devised to make a guilty conscience 
clean. They came as representatives of both law and 
prophecy. 

Moses had prophesied of Jesus, 4 saying : "Of your 
brethren shall the Lord your God raise up unto you a 
prophet, like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all things 
whatsoever he shall say unto you." He foresaw the Mes- 
siah as one who should magnify the law and make it honor- 
able ; and he came to surrender his authority, and turn over 
his credentials, assured that Jesus would fulfill the law in 
every jot and tittle thereof. Of old 5 Elijah was very jealous 
for the Lord God of hosts ; but he felt no fear in surrender- 
ing all authority to one who came to fulfill the law and the 
prophets. 

They talked with Jesus, and 6 the theme of their conversa- 
tion was his decease which he should accomplish at Jeru- 
salem. Of old when Moses spoke to the people, according 
to the law 7 he took the blood of calves and goats, with 
scarlet wool and hyssop, and he sprinkled the tabernacle 
and the vessels of ministry, and book and all the people ; 
and without shedding of blood there was no remission of 
sins. It was a definite confirmation of what the Lord had 

1 Isa. 52 : 14 ; Mat. 27 : 29. 5 1 Kings 19 : 10. 

2 Mat. 17 : 9. 6 Luke 9 : 31. 

3 Luke 9 : 29. 7 Heb. 9 : 19, 22. 

4 Deut. 18 : 15 ; Acts 3 : 22. 



118 MARK IX: 4-7. 

were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answereth and saith 
to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here : and let us 
make three 7 tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, 
and one for Elijah. 6 For he knew not what to answer ; 
for they became sore afraid. 7 And there came a cloud 
overshadowing them : and there came a voice out of the 

7 Or, booths. 

said of the coming end ; at the same time it was a token 
of victory over death, and a demonstration of immortality. 

Centuries before that day x Moses died in the land of 
Moab, and no man knew the place of his burial. Elijah 
also met the inevitable hour ; and 2 while young men watched 
from afar, he passed into the heavens. Those men did not 
lose their identity in some vast pantheistic all, nor did 
they languish in purgatorial pains, waiting for release 
through the alms and prayers of friends on earth ; they did 
not drop into a dreamless sleep, nor were they put at the 
beck and call of mediums and mountebanks, to play empty 
tricks and fill the pockets of fakirs and sorcerers by tipping 
chairs or scratching in table drawers. They entered into 
the presence of God, or walked the streets of the city in 
their own proper personality, as Moses and Elijah. On 
the mountain they came in garments of light to shake hands 
with Jesus across the chasm of death, and to disclose to 
human eyes the glory that lies beyond. 

5 Peter broke in : "It is good for us to be here." Good to 
know something of things beyond the grave, and good to be 
in such fellowship ! He proposed to make three tabernacles, 
or booths, for the three superior attendants on the scene. 

6 It was an odd proposal, 3 born of confusion and fear ; but it 
showed a loyal spirit, which was ready to abide in so sweet 
a service. 

That there might be nothing wanting in testimony to the 
Lord's identity and authority, a bright cloud overshadowed 

7 them. 4 It was a familiar symbol of the divine presence. 
As Moses and Elijah vanished into the mists, there came 
a voice out of the cloud : "This is my beloved Son ; hear ye 
him." The utterance was like that at the baptism of Jesus, 
but it was different. B The first voice was addressed to 
Jesus in the presence of the people ; the second was ad- 
dressed to the witnesses. 

1 T>eut. 34: 5. 6. 

2 2 Kings 2 : 11. 

3 Luke 9 : 33. 

* Ex. 40 : 34 ; 1 Kings 8 : 10 ; Isa. 6 : 4. 
Mark 1: 11. 



MARK IX: 7-11. 119 

cloud, This is my beloved Son: hear ye him. 8 And sud- 
denly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save 
Jesus only with themselves. 

9 And as they were coming down from the mountain, he 
charged them that they should tell no man what things they 
had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again 
from the dead. 10 And they kept the saying, questioning 
among themselves what the rising again from the dead 
should mean. 11 And they asked him, saying, 8 Hoio is it 
8 Or, The scribes say . . . come. 

The cloud passed. The divine lustre which crowned the 
hill top faded. Saints returned to glory. The vision was 

8 gone, and the voice hushed. Only Jesus remained in the 
plenitude of his grace, the friend and Saviour of his own. 
The witnesses never forgot what they had seen. James 
left no word concernging the wonders of that hour, for x he 
was soon cut down by the hand of persecution ; but 2 Peter 
spoke for all : "We did not follow cunningly devised fables, 
when we made known unto you the power and coming of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his 
majesty . . . when we were with him in the holy 
mount." 3 John also testified : "We beheld his glory, the 
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace 
and truth." In that light they knew the power of his com- 
ing, when he shall appear without sin unto salvation, taking 
vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the 
gospel of his Son. 

9 Returning from the mountain Jesus charged the disciples 
not to mention what they had seen, until he was raised 

10 from the dead. In harmony with the charge they kept it 
close, telling no one ; but they were deeply puzzled about 
the meaning of the rising of which he spoke. They were 
somewhat 4 familiar with the idea of a resurrection in 
general ; but the idea of a Messiah killed and restored to 
life gave them a distinct shock. Some time was required 
for them to assimilate the thought, and its vast import was 
hidden from them till after the event. 

The settled conviction that Jesus was the promised Mes- 
siah, and this coupled with the recent sight of Elijah, who 

11 strangely came and as strangely went, suggested another 
question : "Why say the scribes that Elijah must first 
come?" The question indicated a certain deference to the 
opinion of the scribes, and also an honest desire to know 

1 Acts 12 : 2. 3 John 1 : 14. 

2 2 Pet. 1 : 16. *Acts 2 : 31 ; Acts 23 : 6, 8. 



120 MARK IX: 11-16. 

that the scribes say that Elijah must first come? 12 And 
he said unto theni, Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth 
all things : and how is it written of the Son of man, that he 
should suffer many things and be set at nought? 13 But I 
say unto you, that Elijah is come, and they have also done 
unto him whatsoever they would, even as it is written of 
him. 

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great 
multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them. 
15 And straightway all the multitude, when they saw him, 
were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 

the truth. 1 The prophet said : "Behold, I send you Elijah." 
Some teachers held that he was appointed to anoint the 
Messiah ; yet, years after Jesus was on earth making Mes- 
sianic claims, Elijah came to the mountain for a transient 
visit, and speedily went away. What was the explanation? 
Identifying John the Baptist as the Elijah who was to 

12 come, Jesus answered : "Elijah indeed cometh first, and re- 
storeth all things." Not that John brought in a full restora- 
tion ; he only opened the dispensation which was destined to 
accomplish the emancipation of the race in the establish- 
ment of a new age. Of him the angel 2 Gabriel said : "He 
shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, and 
shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the 

13 disobedient to the wisdom of the just." The people failed 
to recognize John as the promised Elijah, and failing to 
discern the truth they put him to death, as they were 
destined to do unto Jesus himself. The disciples understood 
the reference to John ; and his tragic fate helped them to 
foresee the end that awaited the Lord. 

14 While Jesus and the three disciples were away on the 
mountain, a wonderful scene was enacted in the valley 
below. A man unknown, save as the story reveals him, was 
in dire distress. He was afflicted in the affliction of his 
son, and all means of relief had failed. As the fame of 
Jesus reached the father's ears, he decided to apply to him 
for help, but he arrived on the scene while Jesus was away 
on the mountain. Scribes and others were there to witness 
what would take place, and to ask questions about the case. 

As Jesus drew near, he saw the eager throngs. The people 

15 also saw him, and were amazed. There was something in 
his appearance, some lingering radiance from the hill, which 
struck them with awe ; and as they pressed into his presence 

16 they offered spontaneous salutation. Their manner indi- 

2 Mai. 4:5. x Luke 1 : 17. 



MARK IX: 16-19. 121 

And he asked them, What question ye with them? 17 And 
one of the multitude answered him. Teacher, I brought unto 
thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit; 18 and wheresoever 
it taketh him, it 9 dasheth him down : and he foameth, and 
grindeth his teeth, and pineth away : and I spake to thy 
disciples that they should cast it out ; and they were not 
able. 19 And he answereth them and saith, O faithless 
9 Or, rendeth him. See Mt. 7 : 6. 

cated excitement, and Jesus asked what their questions were. 

17 He seemed to assume responsibility in the case. He ad- 
dressed the scribes, but the father of the boy felt that he 
had a preeminent right to speak. Then the story came out, 
as graphically told by Mark ; and a sorrowful story it was. 
It seemed like a case of what is now called epilepsy, but 
the cause of it all lay deeper than any mere physical ail- 
ment. The boy, an 1 only child was possessed of an unclean 
spirit, that vexed him sore and almost robbed him of his 
senses. Usually it struck him dumb, but occasionally 2 it 
broke out in a stifled and inarticulate cry issuing forth amid 
paroxysms of muscular contortions and gnashings of teeth. 

18 The conflict was recorded in a strong term, susparasso, 
which indicated that every energy was exerted in a frantic 
efforts to escape fire or water, the chosen elements of destruc- 
tion. 

The original purpose of the father was to apply to Jesus ; 
but he arrived on the scene, while the Lord was away. He 
then turned to the remaining disciples, and asked their aid. 
The men were taken at disadvantage. In such an emergency 
Judas hardly counted at all. 3 The eight had received power 
over unclean spirits, but so far as the record shows they 
had not cultivated it. In the presence of a hostile crowd, 
and against so fierce a demon, they were discouraged, and 
they could not cast him out. The failure brought deep 
confusion, but Jesus cast upon them no special blame. Even 
in defeat the trembling disciples were far in advance of the 

19 sneering scribes. Unbelief was characteristic of the times. 
"O faithless generation !" The lack of faith was a distinct 
pain. "How long shall I be with you?'* Every day which 
he spent among them was a day of trial for him, their 
obstinacy and unbelief vexed him so. Yet was he equal to 
the emergency, and he called them nearer. "Bring him." 
They were invited nearer, and were instructed to bring their 
troubles. 

4 Unlike the spirit that enthralled the demoniac of Gadara, 

1 Luke 9 : 38 ; Mat. 17 : 15. 3 Mat. 10 : 1. 

2 Luke 9 : 39. * Mark 5 : 7. 



122 MARK IX: 19^24. 

generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I 
bear with you? bring him unto me. 20 And they brought 
him unto him : and when he saw him, straightway the spirit 
Hare him grievously; and he fell on the ground, and wal- 
lowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long time 
is it since this hath come unto him? And he said, From a 
child. 22 And oft-times it hath cast him both into the fire 
and into the waters,, to destroy him : but if thou canst do 
anything, have compassion on us, and help us. 23 And Jesus 
said unto him, If thou canst ! All things are possible to him 
that believeth. 24 Straightway the father of the child cried 

1 Or, convulsed. See ch. 1 : 26. 

the dumb spirit uttered no cry, as he was brought into the 

20 presence of Jesus. He showed his aversion in another way. 
He grievously convulsed the lad, and flung him to the ground 
in fury and despair. It was a strong appeal to the com- 
passion of Jesus, and it gave a touch of realism to the ac- 

21 count of previous attacks. Proceeding naturally, Jesus 
asked how long the lad had suffered the demon's power. 
The question recalled the years of torture, and whelmed 

22 the father with a sense of what he had endured. In a 
passionate recital he told of his affliction, and made his 
pitiful plea : "If thou canst do anything !" Whether de- 
signedly or not, Jesus also began his reply with a condi- 

23 tional clause : "If thou canst !" 

Expulsion from Eden, destruction in the flood, fire upon 
the cities of the plain, every stroke of divine wrath inflicted 
on erring men is traceable to 3 an evil heart of unbelief in 
departing from the living God. 2 He that comes to God 
must believe that he is, for he is manifest only to the eye 
of faith. "All things are possible to him that believeth," 
when only the truth is believed. Believing a lie however 
candidly can never bring a blessing. 3 A covenant with 
falsehood is a covenant with death ; and a refuge of lies will 
afford no shelter, when 4 judgment is laid to the line, and 
righteousness to the plummet. 

Years of baffled effort naturally withered the father's 
hopes. He was at the end of his resources, and in dire 
straits. His previous disappointments coupled with the 
increasing violence of the case tended to engender doubt, 
yet faith was required. While he admitted a certain kind 
of unbelief, he was ready to profess what faith he had, and 

24 to ask for help in that wherein he lacked : "I believe ; 
help thou mine unbelief." However weak his faith, he 

iHeb. 3:12. 2 Heb. 11 : 6. 3 Isa. 28 : 15. 4 Isa. 28 : 17. 



MARK IX: 24^31. 123 

out, and said 2 , I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. 25 And 
when Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he 
rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and 
deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter 
no more into him. 26 And having cried out, and 3 torn him 
much, he came out : and the J)oy became as one dead ; inso- 
much that the more part said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus 
took him by the hand, and raised him up ; and he arose. 
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked 
him privately, i Hoio is it that we could not cast it out? 29 
And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, 
save by prayer 5 . 

30 And they went forth from thence, and passed through 
Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. 
31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The 

2 Many ancient authorities add with tears. 

3 Or, convulsed. See ch. 1 : 26. 

4 Or, saying, We could not cast it out. 

5 Many ancient authorities add and fasting. 

25 submitted the case ; and he got his heart's desire. Though 
deaf, the demon heard the voice of the Lord. Though re- 
tiring with great violence, as if determined to thwart the 

26 Saviour's gracious designs, he nevertheless came out. Like 
the departure of a fever, the departure of the demon left 
the victim limp and apparently lifeless, in so much that 

27 some said : "He is dead." It was a pathetic ending to a 
loving father's efforts, but the loving Lord was there to com- 
plete what be had graciously begun. 

28 Later the disciples meekly asked the cause of their failure, 
and received reply 1 summed up in a single word : "Unbelief." 
When they were appointed apostles, they were endued with 
power over demons. As they went forth two and two, 2 they 
cast out many unclean spirits. Why should eight of them 
fail before a single demon? The case presented nothing 
beyond the power which they had received, if they were 
willing to live up to their privileges. They failed, because 
they lost their hold on the promises which were given them. 

29 They neglected prayer ; or if they prayed, they were not 
so engaged as to forget the natural craving for food, and to 
pray even unto fasting, as some ancient manuscripts suggest. 

From the regions of Caesarea Philippi, where so many 

30 wonderful things came to pass, 3 Jesus set his face toward 
Jerusalem, passing back through Galilee. He went quietly, 

31 as if subdued by a sense of approaching death. The sub- 

1 Mat. 17 : 20. 2 Mark 6 : 13. 3 Luke 9 : 51. 



124 MARK IX: 31-35. 

Son of man is 6 delivered up into the bands of men, and they 
shall kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he 
shall rise again. 32 But they understood not the saying, and 
were afraid to ask him. 

33 And they came to Capernaum : and when he was in 
the house he asked them, What were ye reasoning on the 
way? 34 But they held their peace: for they had disputed 
one with another on the way, who was the 7 greatest. 35 
And he sat down, and called the twelve ; and he saith unto 
them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, and 

6 See ch. 3 : 19. 7 Gr. greater. 

ject lay on his heart, and again he forewarned his disciples : 
"The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of men." 
He spoke of it as a fact already accomplished ; but he was 
not rebuked, x as on a former occasion. He was heard with 

32 amazement and sorrow rather than resentment. There was 
a deep mystery about the theme, which made the disciples 
afraid ; and they did not dare speak further on the subject. 

After the company reached Capernaum, an interesting 
incident was disclosed. On the way the disciples had 

33 quietly discussed the question of their relative rank in the 
new dispensation, who was the greater among them. Know- 
ing their inmost thoughts, Jesus asked about the matter. 

34 At first they felt ashamed of their unholy ambitions, and 
held their peace ; 2 then they opened up the whole question, 
and asked who was greatest in the kingdom. It was a 
subject worth considering. Jesus offered no rebuke ; on the 
contrary he took the matter up in detail, and taught them 
and all their successors in discipleship the way of true 

35 greatness. It was the way of modesty and usefulness : "He 
shall be last of all, and minister of all." It was not a 
penalty for ambition, but a means of elevation. 

The word translated minister, in the old version servant, 
is diakonos, from which comes the word deacon. The term 
does not indicate a servile relation, but it represents a per- 
son as actively engaged in the work assigned to him. It is 
used of 3 those who bore the wine at the wedding feast at 
Cana in Galilee, possibly the close friends of the bride, who 
presided over the festivities, and felt themselves honored in 
the privilege of so doing. It is used also of 4 the kings 
servants, who are called to bind and cast out the man who 
appeared at the feast without suitable apparel. Such serv- 
ants are neither slaves nor hirelings ; they are the loyal 

1 Mat. 16 : 22 ; Mark 8 : 32. 3 John 2 : 5, 9. 

2 Mat. 18:1. 4 Mat. 22 : 13. 



MARK IX: 35-39. 125 

8 servant of all. 36 And lie took a little child, and set him 
in the midst of tbem : and taking him in his arms, he said 
unto them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such little 
children in my name, receiveth me : and whosoever receiveth 
me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. 

38 John said unto him, Teacher, we saw one casting out 
demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he fol- 
lowed not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not : for there 

8 Or, minister. 

subjects of whatever master they claim, and out of willing 
hearts they serve for the sake of doing good. In this use 
of the word 2 preachers and missionaries are but servants 
of the Lord. 

36 By way of illustration Jesus took a little child in his 
arms, even as 2 he had been taken into the arms of the aged 
Simeon. It was not a heroic deed, such as would bring 
fame to the doer. It was an act that might be performed 
by the humblest person in the lowliest home ; and yet it 
involved the noblest consequences, if only born out of a 

37 pure heart anxious to honor the Lord : "Whosoever shall 
receive one of such little children in my name receiveth me." 
By so small a service as nursing a baby in the name of the 
Lord one might assure to himself the whole of Godhood, 
receiving both the Son and the Father who sent him. Not 
that such an act would purchase salvation, but that such 
an act born out of a loving heart would indicate the spirit 
of the Master, 3 who went about doing good. It was a 
simple recipe for greatness, which many have never put to 
the test. 

In connection with the question of serving John reported 

38 an interesting case. A man was found casting out demons 
in the name of the Lord, who acknowledged no human au- 
thority, and went on in his own way. He showed no hostil- 
ity to the apostles, and in no way hindered their noble 
work ; he simply declined to recognize in them any right to 
control his actions. Under an erroneous assumption of 
authority on the part of the apostles he was promptly for- 
bidden to exercise the power which he had received, but he 

39 doubtless ignored the order. When the case was reported, 
Jesus said: "Forbid him not." 

With some of the sons of thunder forbidding the other 
man is a favorite method of procedure. They sometimes 
justify their course on the plea of contending for the faith, 
when as a matter of fact they are simply wasting their 

1 1 Cor. 3:5. 2 Luke 2 : 28. 2 Luke 2 : 38. 



126 MARK IX: 39-43. 

is no man who shall do a 8 mighty work in my name, and 
be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not 
against us is for us. 41 For whosoever shall give you a 
cup of water to drink, 1 because ye are Christ's, verily I say 
unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. 42 And who- 
soever shall cause one of these little ones that believe 2 on 
me to stumble, it were better for him if 3 a great millstone 
were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 
43 And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is 
good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having 
thy two hands to go into 4 hell, into the unquenchable 

9 Gr. power. 

1 Gr. in name that ye are. 

2 Many ancient authorities omit on me. 

3 Gr. a millstone turned by an ass. 

4 Gr. Gehenna. 



strength in contending against something else, while the 
faith lies inert for lack of promulgation. So long as demons 
are cast out in the name of the Lord, the forbidding busi- 

40 ness is contrary to the will of Jesus. Such a service done 
in his name indicates a high degree of friendship, which is 
inconsistent with any form of hostility. Not only in so 

41 great a matter as casting out demons, but in so small a 
service as giving a cup of cold water in the name of the 
Lord the act brings its appropriate reward, and that reward 
includes the increased greatness which comes with service. 

The thought was emphasized by contrast. Over against 
helping there might be hindering. Little ones were liable 

42 to totter and fall. "Whosoever shall cause one to stumble, 
it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged 
about his neck, and he were cast into the sea." The great 
millstone was * not the ordinary stone used in the hand mill ; 
it was the stone used in the larger mills, and turned by 
a beast, usually an ass. Such a stone tied to the neck of a 
man cast into the sea would sink him down to certain death. 
In Christ's view that was a more desirable fate than the 
one which awaits the man who brings stumbling to the 
Lord's people. The disciples felt the force of the rebuke, 
and never again did they forbid any man who was at work 
in the name of the Lord. 

Speaking of drowning the man who caused stumblings 

43 suggested another thought. Stumblings might come through 
the hand, the foot, the eye. As it was better to drown the 

1 Luke 17 : 35. 



MARK IX: 43-48. 127 

fire 5 . 45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: 
it is good for thee to enter into life bait, rather than having 
thy two feet to be cast into 4 hell. 47 And if thine eye 
cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to 
enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than 
having two eyes to be cast into 4 hell ; 48 where their worm 

5 Vers. 44 and 46 (which are identical with ver. 48) are 
omitted by the best ancient authorities. 
4 Gr. Gehenna. 

45 man who caused the stumbling, so it was better to destroy 
the offending member, to cut off the hand or the foot, or to 

47 gouge out the eye, rather than to risk going into hell, where 

48 their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The 
repetition in verses 43 to 48 of the old version was designed 
to emphasize the idea of giving up the dearest things in life, 
if they stand m the way of righteousness and salvation. Sin 
being a thing of the spirit, and not of the flesh, the instruc- 
tions were not to be taken literally. No mutilation of the 
body could atone for the sin of the soul. 

The passage presents the doctrine of hell in strong terms. 
It is a doctrine which is repulsive to many, especially to 
those who take no care to escape the place. Mr. Robert 
Ingersoll has said : "I believe that the doctine of hell was 
born in the glittering eyes of snakes, that run in frightful 
coils watching for their prey. I believe that it was born in 
the yelping and howling and growling and snarling of wild 
beasts. I believe that it was born in the grin of hyenas, and 
in the malicious chatter of depraved apes. I despise it. 
I defy it. I hate it." Yet this furious outburst of in- 
dignation admits that there is such a doctrine. The hissing 
of serpents, the howling of wild beasts, the grinning of hyenas 
and the chattering of apes are facts in nature, which neither 
defiance nor hatred can obliterate. There are many dread- 
ful things in the world, and it is sheer folly to ignore their 
existence. The doctrine of hell is not born of malice, but 
of the truth. It is not stated to frighten men, but to give 
them opportunity of escape. Those who resent the doctrine 
are usually of two classes : such as live in sin, or such as do 
little or nothing to save others therefrom. 

The doctrine of hell is not contained in a word. In the 
old Norse mythology Hela was the goddess who presided 
over the regions of death. After her own name her gloomy 
domain was called hell, the term denoting simply the place 
of the departed. It is kin to the word hall, hele, hole, with- 
out indicating what is in the hole. Greek mythology has 
a similar conception, a vast underworld whose activities 



128 MARK IX: 48-50. 

dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For every one 
shall be salted with fire 6 . 50 Salt is good: but if the salt 
have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have 
salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another. 

6 Many ancient authorities add and every sacrifice shall be 
salted with salt. See Lev. 2 : 13. 



are hidden from mortal view. It is designated by the term 
hades, meaning the unseen. With instinctive recoil from 
the idea of annihilation men in all ages have hoped for 
some form of existence after the curtain has dropped, but 
they have had no definite conception of what it is to be. 
Following the analogy suggested by the burial of the body 
they have fancied a similar receptacle for the soul, and they 
have modestly designated it as an unknown realm. In He- 
brew this unknown place is called sheol, the term neither 
affirming nor denying the idea of punishment ; and the good 
anticipate it without fear. 

The nature of the hell or the hole into which the wicked 
are turned is awfully set forth in the word of God. Jesus 
himself emphasizes the idea of suffering with 1 such expres- 
sions as outer darkness, quenchless fire, undying worms, 
wailing and gnashing of teeth. In this passage the word for 
hell is not hades, but gehenna. It is the term which was 
given to the valley lying south of Jerusalem, where idola- 
trous Israel first rendered their devotions to Moloch. Josiah 
abolished the idolatry, and defiled the valley by making it a 
dumping ground for the filth of the city. Later a fire was 
kindled, which was fed with offal, and continued from 
generation to generation. The name was thus associated 
with smothered fires, and reeking odors, and utter desolation. 
The awful thought is taken up anew in 2 the Revelation, 
which speaks of burning brimstone, and tormenting smoke, 
and endless pain. Hell suggests a world where all the 
streams of misery meet, and the light of hope forever dies. 

49 "Every one shall be salted with fire." The saying is ob- 
scure, and has been variously interpreted. Taken in its 
connection it seems to apply not to every person universally, 
but to every person that neglects the great salvation, and 
goes at last into gehenna, into the fire that never shall be 
quenched, asbestos fire is the fire named. As salt is a pre- 
servative, the idea of salting in quenchless fire gives em- 
phasis to the eternity of the punishment which awaits those 
who reject the mercy offered in the gospel. 

50 From that point the theme took a different turn. Salt 
was recognized as having certain uses, as indicated also in 

1 Mat. 8 : 12. 2 Rev. 14 : 10, 11. 



MARK X: 1, 2. 129 

-| f\ And he arose from thence, and coineth into the 
X \J borders of Judaea and beyond the Jordan : and multi- 
tudes come together unto him again ; and, as he was wont, 
he taught them again. 
2 And there came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is 

Matthew 5 : 13 ; but salt without saltness had neither pre- 
serving nor fertilizing qualities, and was useful only in 
making roadways, and so being trodden under foot. Mark 
closed the report of the discourse with the exhortation : 
"Have salt in yourselves," meaning saving qualities, "and 
be at peace one with another," even when disputing about 
chief places. 

After the incidents of the preceding chapter Mark omitted 
from his narrative many matters, which other writers put 
to record. They included * a discussion of forgiveness, 2 a 
quiet trip to the feast of tabernacles and incidents con- 
nected therewith, such as 3 forgiving the sinning woman, 
4 discoursing in the temple, 5 sending out the seventy, 6 telling 
of the good Samaritan, 7 visiting the home of Lazarus and 
his sisters, s dining with a Pharisee, 9 discoursing on hypoc- 
risy and covetousness, 10 healing a man born blind, u and 
announcing himself as the good shepherd. The omissions 
embraced also 12 the feast of dedication, 13 the visit to Betha- 
bara, 14 the trip through Perea, where Jesus 15 received the 
news of Lazarus' sickness, 16 dined with a Pharisee on the 
Sabbath, 17 and taught the multitude both directly and by 
parable ; also 1S the return to Judea, 19 the raising of Lazarus, 
- u and the trip back through Ephraim into Galilee. At that 

1 point Mark took up the order of events. Jesus made his 
final departure from Galilee, 21 came into the borders of 
Judea, passed over to the eastern side of Jordan, and went 
on toward Jerusalem, teaching the crowds that followed as 
he went. 

Somewhere on the way certain Pharisees came with a 

2 question of deep importance. The subject needed elucida- 
tion. It might have been presented with the best of mo- 
tives, but the hostile Pharisees brought it forward to em- 
barrass Jesus rather than to get information. Knowing 



1 Mat. 18 : 15. 


8 Luke 11 : 


37. 


15 John 11 : 


3. 


2 John 7 : 2. 


9 Luke 12 : 


: 1. 


18 Luke 14: 


: 1. 


3 John 8 : 2. 


10 John 9 : 


1. 


17 Luke 14 : 


: 7. 


4 John 8 : 12. 


u John 10 : 


: 11. 


18 John 11 : 


7. 


5 Luke 10: 1. 


"John 10 


: 22. 


19 John 11 : 


43. 


6 Luke 10 : 28f . 


"John 10: 


: 40. 


20 John 11 : 


54. 


7 Luke 10 : 38. 


14 Luke 13 : 


22. 


21 Mat. 19: 


1. 



130 MARK X : 2-6. 

it lawful for a man to put away 7m wife? trying him. 3 
And he answered and said unto them, 7 What did Moses com- 
mand you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill 
of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 But Jesus said 
unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this 
commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, 
7 Dt. 24 : 1, 3. 

the different views that were extant on the subject, and 
feeling that any answer Jesus might make would displease 
some, they asked : "Is it lawful for a man to put away his 
wife?" The two noted schools of interpretation, led re- 
spectively by Hillel and Shammai, were not agreed, and the 
people differed as they sided with the one or the other. 
According to Hillel a man was at liberty to put away his 
wife for anything that gave him offense, even so small a 
matter as burning the bread. The terms of * the law were 
quite indefinite : "When a man taketh a wife and marrieth 
her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes because 
he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall 
write her a bill of divorcement, and give it into her hand, 
and send her out of his house." The unseemly thing which 
was allowed to bring the wife into disfavor with her husband 
was not clearly indicated. The obscurity of the language 
left room for divergent views. Under the lax interpretation 
of Hillel, as lust took the place of love, 2 there came a loose- 
ness of morals which disrupted families, and threatened the 
social order. Against the ruinous tendencies of the time 
Shammai uttered a vigorous protest. He held that no man 
was at liberty to put away his wife, unless there was found 
in her something disgraceful beyond endurance, his lan- 
guage exactly corresponding with what was written in the 
law. The offense which justified divorce was not unfaithful- 
ness to the marriage vow, for 3 that was punishable by death. 
When the Pharisees raised the question, the metes and 
bounds of the theme were still undetermined. 

3 Jesus did not evade the perplexing issue. Recalling the 

4 law which allowed divorce he explained that it was simply 

5 a concession to human infirmity : "For your hardness of 
heart he wrote you this commandment." Such a law was 
not contemplated in the original plan of Jehovah, and was 
instituted only to meet a condition. * From the beginning 

6 it was not so. Passing back of the superficial rule which 

1 Deut. 24 : 1. 

2 Jer. 5:8; Jer. 23: 10; Ezk. 33: 26. 

3 Lev. 20 : 10 ; John 8 : 5. 

4 Mat. 19 : 8. 



MARK X : 6-11. 131 

Male and female made he them. 7 For this cause shall a 
man leave his father and mother, 8 and shall cleave to his 
wife; 8 and the two shall become one flesh: so that they 
are no more two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath 
joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the 
house the disciples asked him again of this matter. 11 And 
he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and 

8 Some ancient authorities omit and shall cleave to his wife. 

was born of human frailty, he appealed to the principle 

7 which underlay creation : "Male and female made he them," 

8 one man and one woman, each for the other, the twain be- 

9 coming one flesh. That oneness was designed to be per- 
petual, and Jesus gave commandment : "Let not man put 
asunder." He made no exception whatever. He recognized 
no varying conditions. He taught that the marriage bond 
can never be dissolved in life without violating 1 the seventh 
commandment, and incurring the guilt of such violation. 

The supposed exception, 2 in case of unfaithfulness to 
marriage vows, is not an exception, but rather a confirma- 
tion of what has been said. By such unfaithfulness the 
offender becomes adulterous, transgressing the command- 
ment, and incurring the guilt of transgression. At the same 
time the guilty one 3 really dies in the eyes of divine law, 
and so leaves the remaining partner free from all matri- 
monial bonds. The current confusion on the subject has 
arisen from failure to distinguish between the requirements 
of divine and human law respectively. Legislatures, whether 
state or national, whether composed of saints or sinners, 
have no power to repeal or to amend God's laws. Through 
legislative enactment a man may put away his wife, and 
marry another woman, and yet incur no civil penalty ; but 
such a course is not in harmony with the original plan of 
creation, or with the teaching of Jesus. Any man or woman 
who is married to another partner, while a former partner 
is living, and not dead according to the law of nature or 
the Mosaic enactment, is as truly guilty before God as if 
the act were unsanctioned by civil law. 

The disciples considered the teaching of Jesus severe. 

10 They were not quite satisfied about it. When they reached 
the privacy of the house, they reverted to the subject. As- 

11 suming that the wife had not already put herself away by 
transgressing the commandment, Jesus repeated his doc- 
trine : "Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry an- 
other committeth adultery against her," the language being 

1 Ex. 20 : 14. 2 Mat. 19 : 9. 3 Deut. 22 : 22. 



132 MARK X : 11-13. 

marry another, coninritteth adultery against her : 12 and if 
she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, 
she committeth adultery. 

13 And they were bringing unto him little children, that 
he should touch them : and the disciples rebuked them. 14 
But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and 

12 absolute and comprehensive. The same principle was ap- 
plied to the woman : "If she herself shall put away her 
husband and marry another, she committeth adultery." The 
teaching was stern and unmistakable. 

Confusion has arisen again from failure to distinguish 
between the religious and the social aspects of the subject. 
Civil laws of human origin are designed to protect society 
in its inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness. In the nature of the case they are not essentially 
religious, since the state has no religious functions. Being 
of human origin they are imperfect and variable, changing 
with the changing conceptions of what is best for society at 
different stages of development. Living in conformity with 
the laws of the land one may be a good citizen, and yet be 
a sinner before God, and a stranger to grace. God's * perfect 
law is primarily designed to convert the soul. It is 2 a 
schoolmaster to guide men to Christ, aru" whosoever offends 
in one point is guilty of the whole law. The seventh com- 
mandment has no uncommon sanctity, and the guilt of trans- 
gression does not surpass 3 the provisions of grace. 

Somewhere on the journey through Perea mothers, or 

13 other friends in the crowds that followed, desired his bless- 
ing for little children, who were too small to profit by his 
instructions. Like the woman who touched the hem of his 
garment, they felt that a touch would be a medium of 
spiritual benefit, the children not being in need of physical 
healing. They were infants, babes, little children. The 
idea widely prevailed that, when a father, a prophet, a 
distinguished rabbi or other noted person laid a hand on 
the head of a child with words of benediction, a blessing 
was likely to ensue. Sometimes the elders of Israel laid 
hands on the heads of children, and prayed that they might 
grow up famous in the law, faithful in marriage, and 
abundant in good works. In such a service the favor of 
Jesus was sought. 

The disciples were not hostile to children. They saw in 
the procedure only what seemed to them a bootless per- 
formance, which laid a needless tax on the Lord's time and 

14 energy, and they uttered a rebuke. Only Mark noted that 

1 Psa. 19 : 7. 2 Gal. 3 : 24. 3 1 John 1 : 7. 



MARK X: 14-17. 133 

said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; 
forbid them not : for 9 to such belongeth the kingdom of 
God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not re- 
ceive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no 
wise enter therein. 16 And he took them in his arms, and 
blessed them, laying his hands upon them. 

17 And as he was going forth 1 into the way, there ran 
one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good 
9 Or, of such is. x Or, on 7iis toay. 

Jesus was much displeased. With a double emphasis he 
said : "Suffer the little children to come unto me ; forbid 
them not." Jesus cared for little children, the fact being a 
tribute to his character. Victor Hugo said : "The sublimest 
psalm ever heard on earth is the lisping of a human soul 
from the lips of a little child. It is not measured, yet it 
is a song. It is not articulate, yet it is a language, a 
murmur which began in heaven, and will not end on earth." 
If, as some have thought, Jesus often wept and seldom 
smiled, surely his face beamed with gladness, as the little 
children leaned upon his breast ! 

"Of such is the kingdom." Pages and volumes have been 

15 written concerning these words, but nothing definite has 
been said. Jesus sheds some light on their meaning, when 
he adds : "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God 
as a little child, he shall in nowise enter therein," as if he 
refers to the spirit of trust and confidence which is common 
to childhood, and is essential in all who enter the kingdom 
of faith. Beyond this the precious words may be inter- 
preted according to the needs of each heart. The father or 
mother who bends in bereavement over the pallid form of a 
dead child knows their meaning. Let them not be wrested 
from their noble ministry of comfort, and made to do drudg- 

16 ery in the interest of an empty ecclesiastical form. If any 
man can impart solace by taking a little child in his arms, 
laying a hand upon its head, and offering a prayer for its 
welfare on earth or its safety in heaven, let no worthy 
disciple forbid ; but beyond the example of Jesus let no man 
presume to go, lest he incur the penalty visited upon pre- 
sumptious sins. 

17 As Jesus proceeded on the way, the crowds attending, a 
young man came running into his presence. He was rich, 
influential, earnest. He knelt humbly. He spoke reverently : 
"Good Teacher, what?" The form of address was a mere 
matter of politeness. It did not imply a recognition of 
Jesus as the Son of God, but simply as a gifted teacher, 
especially in matters religious. On the young man's lips 



134 MARK X : 17-21. 

Teacher, wbat shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? 
none is good save one, even God. 19 Thou knowest the com- 
mandments, 2 Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not 
steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy 
father and mother. 20 And he said unto him, Teacher, all 
these things have I observed from my youth. 21 And Jesus 

2 Ex. 22 : 12-16 ; Dt. 5 : 16-20. 

it indicated a certain sort of flattery. The question touched 
the profoundest theme that ever engaged a human soul : 
"What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The 
reply indicated how Jesus understood the questioner's heart. 

18 "Why callest thou me good?" In the absolute that appella- 
tion belonged only to God, of whom the young man saw 
nothing in the teacher whom he addressed. Willing to in- 

19 struct him further, Jesus said : "Thou knowest the com- 
mandments," x the knowledge implying the duty to keep 
them. 2 Moses testified : "The man which doeth those things 
shall live by them." 3 Paul also said : "The law is holy, 
just and good." Five commands were brought to mind, as 
representing the whole law ; so there was some variation 
in the accounts of different writers, but none in the prin- 
ciple involved. Only Mark mentioned the warning against 
defrauding, as a man of large means might have special 
temptation at that point. 

20 The enquirer claimed that he had kept all the command- 
ments all the time, and was probably sincere in the claim. 
But while he spoke, he loved his money more than he loved 
the Lord, and the first commandment lay a wreck at his 
feet. He loved himself more - than he loved others, and 
therein was broken every commandment of the second table. 
In deep satisfaction with himself he was not aware of his 
wretched condition. 

21 Jesus looked on him with a fixed and earnest gaze, and 
loved him for what he was and for what he might become. 
He pitied him, and plied him with another test : "One thing 
thou lackest." He did not say only one, but one. Did the 
questioner listen with eagerness for the one thing? The 
one thing included three, and the three constituted one : 
Sell, give, follow ! The command was imperative, and it 
demanded the same eager haste displayed in coming to 
make the enquiry. It was not a scheme to buy an interest 
in the kingdom of glory, but to test the young man's sub- 
mission to the divine will. It was a test which he could not 

x Mat. 19: 17. 2 Rom. 10 : 5 ; Lev. 18: 5. 3 Rom. 7: 12. 



MARK X: 21-25. 135 

looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing 
thou lackest : go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the 
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, 
follow me. 22 But his countenance fell at the saying, and 
he went away sorrowful : for he was one that had great 
possessions. 

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his dis- 
ciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into 
the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were amazed at 
his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto 
them, Children, how hard is it 3 for them that trust in riches 
to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a 
3 Some ancient authorities omit for them that trust in riches. 

stand. Self demanded the ease and indulgence incident to 
wealth, and he was not willing to deny himself. Parting 
from property inflicted a pang, and he was not willing to 
suffer for the Lord's sake. Instead of yielding to the au- 
thority of Jesus and following in the way of holiness and 

22 peace, he put the subject from him. His countenance fell 
in disappointment, and he turned from the scene. The 
possessions with which God had blessed him gripped his 
soul, and the word of him whom he called good had no 
power to direct his life. Failing in one command of Jesus, 
he failed in all ; and however sorrowful, he went away, and 
never came back. 

23 An astonishing utterance follows : "How hardly shall they 
that have riches enter into the kingdom of God !" In many 
matters the rich have advantage over the poor, but in the 
supreme issue of life wealth may prove a hindrance rather 
than a help. It tends to bring spiritual blight. The pursuit 
of wealth often diverts the mind from spiritual things, while 
possession 1 plunges men into temptation and a snare, and 

24 into many foolish and hurtful lusts. From his high place 
of riches and power 2 Pharaoh says : "Who is the Lord, that 

I should obey his voice?" And whether put into words or 
not, the same disdainful sentiments dwell in the minds of 
many rich people. It is not that God is against wealth, for 
he alone giveth riches, but that the rich sinner is against 
God. He may join some fashionable church, much as he 
joins a fashionable club ; but he rarely comes as a penitent, 
confessing his sins and claiming a good hope through grace. 
3 He spends his days in wealth, and is satisfied ; therefore 
he saith unto God : "Depart from us, for we desire not the 

25 knowledge of thy ways." Under such conditions it is easier 

I I Tim. 6:9. 2 Ex. 5 : 2. 3 Job 21 : 14. 



136 MARK X: 25-30. 

camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to 
enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they were aston- 
ished exceedingly, saying 4 unto him, Then who can be saved? 
27 Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, 
but not with God : for all things are possible with God. 28 
Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have 
followed thee. 29 Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There 
is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or 
mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and 
for the 5 gospel's sake, 30 but he shall receive a hundredfold 
now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and 
mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and 

4 Many ancient authorities read among themselves. 

5 See marginal note on ch. 1 : 1. 

for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a 

26 rich man to enter into the kingdom. In human strength the 
thing is impossible. There are many rich people in the 
kingdom, men of deep devotion, who bring themselves and 
all that they possess as an offering to the Lord ; but in 
almost every case they got religion before they got rich, or 
if reared in homes of wealth they were converted in child- 

27 hood, before riches blighted their souls. God can put the 
camel through, but it takes divine power, and the process is 
hard on the camel. 

In contrast with the conduct of the young man was that 

28 of the apostles : "We have left all, and followed thee. x What 
shall we have therefore?" The question was pertinent and 
proper. If religion was worth nothing to the rich, why 
should the poor take up the cross? If the sacrifice was too 
great for the ruler, why not also for the fisherman? If the 
departing young man was wise, certainly the apostles were 
foolish. It was worth while to consider ; and Jesus heard 
the question with the utmost courtesy. He demanded that 
men take up any cross that obstructed the way, and follow 
him at any cost ; but he did not ask them to serve him for 

29 nought. For every sacrifice made in his name he gave as- 

30 surance : "He shall receive a hundredfold now in this time." 

Such an utterance cannot be tested by human observation, 
because the motives that impel any man to give up temporal 
comforts cannot be known. The promise applies only to 
those who act for Jesus' sake, and persecutions are pledged 
to go with the reward. Jesus has spoken, and he has in- 
finite resources to work out all his plans. 2 Let his words 
be true, though a lie be found on the lips of every man. 

1 Mat. 19 : 27. 2 Rom. 3 : 4. 



MARK X: 30-34. 137 

in the 6 world to come eternal life. 31 But many that are 
first shall be last ; and the last first. 

32 And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem ; and 
Jesus was going before them : and they were amazed ; and 
they that followed were afraid. And he took again the 
twelve, and began to tell them the things that were to 
happen unto him, 33 saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem ; 
and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests 
and the scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, and 
shall deliver him unto the Gentiles : 34 and they shall mock 
him, and shall spit upon him, and shall scourge him, and 
shall kill him ; and after three days he shall rise again. 
6 Or, age. 

1 Godliness is profitable, having promise of the life that now 

31 is. Its trials and persecutions bring a rich reward. It also 
comprehends a life to come, and makes it eternal, though 
many last are made first in the final reckoning. 2 The par- 
able of the householder is designed to illustrate this saying. 

32 Passing on toward Jerusalem, Jesus took the lead, as if 
he hastened to the completion and culmination of his earthly 
career. In his manner there was something appalling. The 
disciples, who were intimate with him, were struck with 
amazement, and the multitudes were seized with alarm. 
3 The baptism, which even in anticipation so straitened his 
soul, drew near. There fell upon him a weight of yearning 
and solicitude concerning issues that lay just ahead. He 
knew, and for his own sake as well as for theirs he wanted 
to share his knowledge with the disciples. Again he drew 
the twelve aside from the crowd, and repeated with elabora- 
tion what they seemed so slow to learn, so loath to admit. 

33 For the first time he mentioned the Gentiles as participants 
in his woes, as 4 they also were to participate in the atone- 

34 ment secured by his sufferings and death. Chief priests 
and scribes gave sentence of death, and after loading him 
with indignities Gentiles executed the sentence. The dis- 
ciples were dazed by a sense of coming disaster ; they failed 
to note the significance of the promised resurrection, and 
6 understood none of the things that were spoken. Even 
after the events 6 some of them showed themselves fools, 
who were slow to believe what the prophets had said, and 
what Jesus himself had repeatedly declared. 

Recalling 7 what he said about sitting on thrones, but 

1 1 Tim. 4:8. 5 Luke 18 : 34. 

2 Mat. 20 : 1. 6 Luke 24 : 25. 

3 Luke 12 : 50. 7 Mat. 19 : 28. 

4 Isa. 42 : 1 ; Isa. 49 : 6 ; Isa. 60 : 3. 



138 MARK X: 35-39. 

35 And there come near unto him 7 James and John, the 
sons of Zebedee, saying unto him, Teacher, we would that 
thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. 
36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do 
for you? 37 And they said unto him, Grant unto us that we 
may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, 
in thy glory. 38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not 
what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? 
or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 
39 And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said 
unto them, The cup that I drink ye shall drink ; and with 
the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized : 
7 Or, Jacob. 

ignoring the fact that it was to come with the regeneration 

35 of all things, James and John approached the Lord with a 

36 proposition, which was remarkable both in manner and 
matter. They childishly asked Jesus to commit himself in 
the dark, 1 if such a thing were possible, and selfishly sought 
to occupy the chief places in the coming kingdom, seats at 

37 his right hand and his left. 2 Those were positions of honor. 
James and John were first among the followers of Jesus ; 
at no time did they waver in their friendship for him, and 
by ordinary methods of reasoning they were as much en- 
titled to such distinction as any of the rest. There was 
nothing amiss in going after what they wanted. Jesus did 
not rebuke them for aspiring to high things in the kingdom, 

38 but he unfolded the deeper meaning of their request. "Are 
ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with 
the baptism that I am baptized with?" It was the cup of 
suffering, the baptism of woe. In its deep and whelming 
character it was rightly described as a baptism, a plunging 
into the depths, as obedient believers are plunged into bap- 
tismal waters. 3 It wrung his soul, and drew the bloody 

39 sweat. Still failing to understand they said : "We are able." 

Jesus admitted that they were destined to taste his cup 
of woe. Only a few years later 4 James was slain with the 
sword, as a concession to Jewish spite. 5 John also, the last 
of the apostolic band, like the last plank of a dismembered 
ship, was driven by the storms of persecution to the desolate 
island of Patmos. Through affliction they passed to their 
reward, as 6 it was written : "To him that overcometh will 
I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I have over- 
come, and have sat down with my Father in his throne." 

1 John 2 : 25. 4 Acts 12 : 2. 

2 Psa. 16 : 11 ; Psa. 45 : 9 ; Mark 14 : 62. 5 Rev. 1 : 9. 

3 Mat. 26: 38; Luke 22: 44. 6 Rev. 3 : 21. 



MARK X: 40-45. 139 

40 but to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not 
mine to give ; but it is for them for whom it hath been pre- 
pared. 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be 
moved with indignation concerning 8 James and John. 42 
And Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know 
that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord 
it over them ; and their great ones exercise authority over 
them. 43 But it is not so among you : but whosoever would 
become great among you, shall be your 9 minister ; 44 and 
whosoever would be first among you, shall be * servant of 
all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for 
many. 

8 Or, Jacob. 9 Or, servant. i Gi\ bondservant. 

40 The granting of thrones was not an arbitrary matter to be 
regulated by partiality or whim ; it was not determined by 
Jesus as the personal friend of any man, but it was arranged 
according to eternal principles, the allotment being determ- 
ined by the conduct of the disciple himself. 

41 When the ten heard the ambitious request of the two, 
they were moved with indignation at what seemed to be a 
desire to take an undue advantage. They also failed to 
understand the principle on which thrones were assigned. 

42 Jesus did not share the indignation. He simply called the 
ten aside, and explained : "Ye know that they who are ac- 
counted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their 
great ones exercise authority over them." That was the 
ordinary conception of greatness, bossing around, and mak- 
ing a show of authority. Earth's great ones have others 
serve them ; they sit on thrones, and are lauded, but Jesus 

43 establishes a new way : "It is not so among you." In the 
kingdom of Christ greatness does not consist in being in the 
public eye, drawing a big salary, having people under con- 

44 trol ; it consists in service. The way of exaltation is the 
way of ministry, and the way to reach the highest place is 
to be servant of all. 

45 In illustration of the truth Jesus pointed to his own case. 
Surely they were willing to admit his preeminence ; yet he 
came not with pomp and show, and claimed no loftiness of 
place. He came not to be ministered unto, or to be fawned 
upon. x He took on him the form of a servant, and learned 
obedience. He served unto death, giving his life a ransom 
for such as were sold under sin, and bound to be redeemed 
without money from them, or left in perpetual bondage. 

1 Phil. 2:7; Heb. 5 : 8. 



140 MARK X: 46, 47. 

46 And they come to Jericho : and as be went out from 
Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of 
Timaeus, Bartiniseus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the way 
side. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, 

Through the way of service 1 he attained unto a name ex- 
alted above every name, and brought every knee to bow 
before him. He commended the same way unto his disciples. 

Having passed down the eastern side of the Jordan to a 
46 point opposite Jericho, Jesus and his company crossed over, 
and drew near the city. 2 From the days of Joshua it was 
a famous place. The Lord spent the night there. 3 He 
visited the home of Zacchseus, and bore salvation to the 
household. 4 Being nigh unto Jerusalem he also uttered the 
parable about the nobleman who went into a far country 
to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. The miracle 
of healing was the notable event of the visit. 

The different accounts show some variation in detail. 
Matthew mentions two men that were healed, Mark and 
Luke only one, a circumstance which needs no explanation, 
as the healing of two is nowhere denied. A matter of some 
importance is the apparent contradiction in the narratives, 
Luke seeming to imply that the miracle was wrought as 
Jesus entered into the city, while Matthew and Mark state 
that it was performed as he went out. Of several explana- 
tions that have been offered, two are worthy of record. 
First, that there were two adjacent places of that name, the 
miracle being wrought at a point between the two, so that 
passing out of one was entering into the other. In support 
of this view it is suggested that, when the city was destroyed 
by Joshua, 5 a curse was pronounced against rebuilding it, 
the same being 6 executed against Hiel the Bethelite some 
five hundred years later,- and that a new city was founded 
near the old. Late investigations confirm this view. Again 
it is suggested that in Luke's account there is an elipsis in 
verse 38, which passes the healing over to the next day. 
Thus as Jesus approached the city, the man heard that he 
was passing by ; the next day he put himself in a place to 
get help', and at the opportune time called aloud for the 
desired aid. Whatever the explanation of the discrepancy, 
in the sense in which they were meant both statements are 
entirely true. 
47 The incidents of the healing are full of interest. It was 
a fortunate thing for Bartimseus and his friend that they 

1 Phil. 2 : 9, 10. i Luke 16 : 31. 

2 Josh. 6 : 12 ; Heb. 11 : 30. 5 John. 6 : 26. 

3 Luke 19 : 5, 9. 6 1 Kings 16 : 34. 



MARK X: 47-52. 141 

he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have 
mercy on me. 48 And many rebuked him, that he should 
hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal, 
Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood 
still, and said, Call ye him. And they call the blind man, 
saying unto him, Be of good cheer : rise, he calleth thee. 50 
And he, casting away his garment, sprang up, and came to 
Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered him, and said, What wilt 
thou that I should do unto thee? And the blind man said 
unto him, 2 Rabboni, that I may receive my sight. 52 And 
Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath 3 made 
thee whole. And straightway he received his sight, and 
followed him in the way. 

2 See John 20 : 16. 

3 Or, saved thee. 

were on the way which Jesus trod. On a thousand other 
ways that day no man received a blessing. Bartimeeus was 
blind, but he was not without resources. He could not see, 

48 but he could call. In a spirit of indifference rather than 
hostility many rebuked him for making what they regarded 
as a needless noise. Expecting nothing, they chilled his 
hopes ; but the need was his, so was the voice, and against 

49 opposition he cried only the more. Seeking the man who 
was seeking for him, Jesus heard, stopped, called. That 

was his way. Men who hindered were equally willing to 

50 help, when their minds were directed to the need. He cast 
off his loose outer garment, as a hindrance to his progress, 
and hastened to Jesus, a worthy example for every needy 
soul. His general cry was for mercy ; his specific appeal 

51 for sight. Jesus did not parley or delay ; he said : "Thy 

52 faith hath made thee whole." His faith was shown in his 
address of Jesus as the Son of David, in his cry for mercy, 
in his refusal to be discouraged by the indifference of others, 
in his response to the call of Jesus, in his use of the term 
rabboni, and in his appeal for sight, which no human power 
could give. At the word of Jesus faith became effective in 
bringing sight, and Bartimseus, healed and saved, immedi- 
ately followed Jesus in the way to Jerusalem, an eager wit- 
ness of the wonderful things that came to pass. His con- 
dition of blindness, his call upon the Lord, his complete 
healing, and his immediate accession to the ranks of dis- 
cipleship illustrate the course of the sinner from darkness 
to light, and from guilt to grace. 



142 MARK XI : 1, 2. 

nAnd when they draw nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Beth- 
phage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth 
two of his disciples, 2 and saith unto them, Go your way 
into the village that is over against you: and straightway 
as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man 



Leaving Jericho, Jesus * leads the way toward Jerusalem, 
the distance being about seventeen miles. The effort to fix 
his movements to specific days of the week is both useless 
and inconclusive. He arrives in Bethany, some two miles 
out of Jerusalem, 2 six days before the Jewish passover ; but 
the record does not determine whether the phrase is used in- 
clusively or exclusively. Coupled with erroneous interpreta- 
tion the desire to be specific has run into positions that seem 
questionable and untenable. It has fixed the day of cruci- 
fixion on Friday, though 3 Jesus expressly says : "The Son 
of man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of 
the earth." Expositors have easily found three days and 
three nights between Friday evening and Sunday morning by 
adopting a suitable method of counting. It is clear that the 
crucifixion occurred on a day of preparation for the Sab- 
bath ; but that fact does not limit the day to Friday. In 
addition to the hebdomadal Sabbath 4 the Jewish calendar 
provides for other Sabbath clays ; and it is quite possible for 
such a day to fall on Friday, Thursday therefore might 
be the day of preparation for the Sabbath, and also the 
day of crucifixion. In this way only can three days and 
three nights be set between the crucifixion and the resur- 
rection, according to the saying of Jesus. The arrange- 
ment of scraps of history from the writings of Matthew, 
Mark, Luke and John is a very uncertain business. It adds 
nothing to the truth disclosed, and is of little value in 
any way. 

Pursuing his way, Jesus came to Bethphage and Bethany, 
adjacent villages on the slopes of Mount Olivet. When the 
names were given, they probably signified something, the 
first meaning house of figs, the second house of dates. At 
some unknown point on the road Jesus sent two unidentified 
disciples to an adjacent village to bring a young ass for 
him to ride into the city. By means undisclosed Jesus 
knew where the donkey was, and what experiences the mes- 
sengers would have in securing the beast. The colt was tied 

i Luke 19 : 28. 

2 John 12 : 1. 

3 Mat. 12 : 40. 

4 Lev. 23 : 24, 27, 34 ; Isa. 1 : 13 ; Col. 2 : 16. 



MARK XI: 2-7. 143 

ever yet sat; loose bini, and bring him. 3 And if any one 
say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need 
of him ; and straightway he 4 will send him 5 back hither. 
4 And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door 
without in the open street ; and they loose him. 5 And 
certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do 
ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as 
Jesus had said: and they let them go. 7 And they bring 
the colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments ; and he 
sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments upon the 

4 Gr. sendeth. 5 Or, again. 

3 by the door, the dam being near. The owners were there to 
object, but the disciples were taught how to overcome the 
objection : "The Lord hath need of him." The Lord's need 
took precedence over private right, and the fact was duly 
recognized. Probably Jesus promised to return the animal 
in the words : "He will send him back hither." 

4 The disciples found all that Jesus anticipated. The ass, 

5 the colt, the objectors, who yielded, as Jesus said, but 

6 whether from personal friendship to Jesus or from some 
strange effect of the plea made by the messengers, no man 
on earth can tell. Addressing the daughter of Zion, a 
figurative name for Jerusalem, x the prophet said : "Behold, 
thy King cometh unto thee, lowly, sitting upon an ass, even 
a colt, the foal of an ass." When an animal was used for 
a sacred purpose, 2 the law required it to be one on which 
no yoke or other burden had been laid. Jesus was urged to 
assume kingly authority according to earthly ideals, but he 

7 declined. He was a King over the spiritual realm. Accord- 
ing to the word of the prophet the King in Zion was seated 
upon the ass, and that a colt. Not that Jesus rode two 
donkeys, as Matthew's language might suggest, 3 but an ass 
that was young and unused to secular service. It was a 
token of kingship. 

4 The hostility of the rulers was known ; but the multi- 
tudes glowed with enthusiasm. Excitement ran high. For 
the moment the word of the prophet took hold of the popular 
mind. Jesus was recognized as King of Salem, King of 

8 peace. Making a way for the royal rider some spread gar- 

1 Zech. 9 : 9. 

2 Num. 19 : 2 ; Deut. 21 : 3 ; 1 Sam. 6 : 7. 

3 John 12 : 14. 

4 John 11 : 57. 



144 MARK XI: 7-11. 

way ; and others 6 branches, which they had cut from the 
fields. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, 
cried, Hosanna ; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of 
the Lord: 10 Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the king- 
dom of our father David : Hosanna in the highest. 

11 And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and 
when he had looked round about upon all things, it being 
now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. 

6 Gr. layers of loaves. 

ments in the way, x while others gathered branches from the 
palm to adorn the triumph. 2 As the procession turned 
down the slopes of the mountain, the shoutings of joy be- 
9 came loud and voluminous. 3 The multitude took up the 
song of the psalmist, and gave vent to their turbulent 
emotions. Hosanna, a term of uncertain origin, was a kind 
of holy huzza, which on the lips of devotion became a prayer 

10 for divine blessing, as expressed in the next clause. The 
cry was repeated with emphasis : Hosanna in the highest 
degree, and in the highest realm ! 

In the calendar of ritualism the use of palm branches 
that day became the basis of what is called Palm Sunday, 
a fit origin for the shallow rites of such a day. Bringing 
palms and crying hosanna for a brief season, 4 the palms 
soon exchanged for rods to smite him, and the hosannas 
supplanted by demands for his life ! Jesus knew what was 
lacking in the bubbling enthusiasm of the hour, as well as 
what was expressed. He came as King, but not in the sense 
that many desired. 5 Not on the white horse of victory, but 
as a ruler in time of peace he sat on the donkey, as the 
prophet said, riding with the throng, but distinguishing 
between the true and the false, He heard the outcry, but 
his mind was fixed on other thoughts. The capital of the 
chosen race lay before him in sin, ignorant of the things 
that belonged to peace, letting the only opportunity of salva- 
tion slip away ; and the thought of it moved his soul. 6 He 
beheld, and wept aloud, as indicated in the word Maid, ex- 
pressive of deep lamentation and grief. 

11 Passing over the brook Jesus entered the city, 7 creating 
a deep sensation. There was a consciousness of a rare 
presence, and from lip to lip passed the question : "Who is 
this?" So soon the high hosannas simmered down to a bare 

i John 12 : 13. 5 Rev. 6 : 2. 

2 Luke 19 : 37. 6 Luke 19 : 41. 

3 Psa. 118 : 26. 7 Mat. 21 : 10, 11. 

4 Mat. 27 : 30 ; Luke 22 : 21, 23. 



MARK XI: 11-14. 145 

12 And on the morrow, when they were come out from 
Bethany, he hungered. 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off 
having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything 
thereon : and when be came to it, he found nothing but 
leaves ; for it was not the season of figs. 14 And he an- 

recital of fact, and the multitude answered : "This is Jesus, 
the prophet of Nazareth." x The withering of the seed which 
had fallen on shallow ground was already begun. The 
capital had no throne for the King who came in the name 
of the Lord. His own receive him not. 

In the city no royal reception was accorded him. No 
banquet was spread. He had not where to lay his head. 
He sought not 2 the palace of Caiaphas or of Herod. He 
turned toward the sanctuary, and went into his Father's 
house. There he issued no royal proclamation, and incited 
no revolution ; he simply looked around. It was a search- 
ing gaze, which he fixed on the lifeless forms enacted there ; 
but he uttered no word of censure. The time for action had 
not yet come, and with perfect poise he awaited the suitable 
season. He knew how to exercise patience. As the evening- 
came on, he quietly went back to Bethany to spend the night 
with his friends. So soon was the enthusiasm of the morn- 
ing spent. 

12 The incident of the fig tree is perplexing. Why does 
Jesus seek fruit on the tree, if it is not the season of figs? 

13 It has been argued that the season for gathering figs is 
meant, and that he has a right to expect fruit mature enough 
to satisfy hunger. There have been offered also extended 
disquisitions on the ripening of figs at different latitudes, 
authors cumbering the pages of books and variously con- 
tradicting each other, but not touching the real issues of 
the case. How is it possible for Jesus, by 3 the word of 
whose power all things including fig trees are upheld, to be 
deceived by a bunch of leaves? 4 He knows all things, does 
he not know as much as Mark, who records that it is not 

14 time for figs? Why does he who comes to bless utter 5 what 
Peter calls a curse against an irrational object? 

The only rational explanation is that Jesus designs to 
teach a lesson. 6 Already he has told the story of a fig tree 
planted in a vineyard, cultivated, protected, fertilized, but 
fruitless, and combering the ground. 7 He has gathered 
lessons of wisdom from birds and flowers, hens and chickens, 

1 Mat. 13 : 5. 5 Mark 11 : 21. 

2 Mat. 26 : 3. 6 Luke 13 : 6. 

3 Heb. 1:3. ' Mat. 6 : 26, 28 ; Luke 13 : 34. 

4 John 21 : 17. 

—10— 



146 MARK XI : 14-16. 

swered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee hence- 
forward for ever. And his disciples heard it. 

15 And they come to Jerusalem : and he entered into the 
temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that 
bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money- 
changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves ; 16 and 

and various objects and engagements about him. Here he 
comes to the fruitless tree, and with a word he dooms it to 
fruitlessness forever. The decree of the Almighty is suffi- 
cient to fix the state of the tree ; but the word is needed for 
the benefit of the disciples, and they hear it spoken. There 
is no condemnation of leaves, as has sometimes been in- 
ferred ; for leaves in season are quite as natural as fruit. 
1 The good tree brings forth fruit in season, and its leaf also 
shall not wither. In this instance the fruitless tree is fixed 
in its fruitlessness. By the inexorable laws of God every 
fruitless life tends to fixedness in that condition, whether 
any word of doom is heard or not ; and such a condition 
brings withering and destruction of beauty, as the leaves 
wither on the doomed tree, the insensate thing being subject 
to the will of the Lord. 

After returning to the city from Bethany, the incident of 

15 the fig tree occurring on the way, Jesus entered the sacred 
precincts of the temple, probably what was called the court 
of the Gentiles. Into that court traders brought animals 
or a birds or other things requisite for sacrifice. Little by 
little the sense of sanctity gave place to greed, and religious 
emotion was drowned in commercial activity. The deplor- 
able conditions were observed, when he entered and looked 
around. Some three years earlier 3 he had made similar ob- 
servations, and had given orders concerning such conduct ; 
but the lesson had lost its power, and the traders had re- 
turned. Coming * suddenly into his temple, he became as a 
refiner's fire and as fuller's soap. In the power that with- 
ered the fig tree he threw the hucksters out, upset the tables 
of the money changers, who were there to accommodate the 
worshipers from different lands and change their money into 
the coin of the realm, and put away all the implements of 

16 commerce, not even suffering any one to bear a vessel 
through the temple area. B Like the soldiers of Csesar, 
ungodly men retired before the majesty of his presence, not 
so much as a threatening whip being needed to enforce 
his will. 

1 Psa. 1:3. 4 Mai. 3 : 1, 2. 

2 Lev. 12 : 8 ; Luke 2 : 24. 5 John 18 : 6. 

3 John 2 : 14, 15. 



MARK XI : 16-22. 147 

he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel 
through the temple. 17 And he taught, and said unto them, 
Is it not written, 7 My house shall be called a house of prayer 
for all the nations? 8 but ye have made it a den of robbers. 
18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought 
how they might destroy him : for they feared him, for all 
the multitude was astonished at his teaching. 

19 And 9 every evening x he went forth out of the city. 

20 And as they passed by in the morning, they saw the 
fig tree withered away from the roots. 21 And Peter calling 
to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree 
which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus an- 

7 Is. 56 : 7. ° Gr. whenever evening came. 

8 Jer. 7 : 11. 1 Some ancient authorities read then. 

He recalled the original purpose of the temple, 1 as ex- 

17 pressed in the language of the prophet : "A house of prayer 
for all the nations." In contrast with that devoutness which 
became the house of God he saw not merely a flourishing 
business, but injustice, extortion, excess, making the pre- 
cincts of the sacred inclosure a veritable den of robbers. It 
was a distinct allusion to a condition 2 described by the 
prophet, upon which condign punishment was visited ; and 
Jesus intimated that the people of his times were challenging 

18 the doom which their fathers had suffered. As leaders in 
religion, priests and scribes resented what he said. They 
sought how they might destroy him, as they could not an- 
swer his charges or check his influence. He taught with 
the boldness of one having authority, and men whose minds 

19 were open to conviction were impressed by his words. At 
the close of the day in the temple, he again went out of 
the city for the night, as he did every evening. 

20 Passing in and out of the city day by day, one morning 
they saw the fig tree withered away. 3 The withering began 
immediately after the doom of fruitlessness was uttered, 

21 though it was not observed until some time later. Calling 
attention to it Peter spoke of the tree as one that was 
cursed. He used the word Jcataraomai, meaning to doom 
to destruction, to consign to evil, to blast with a curse ; and 
yet it was only the curse of fruitlessness, which many bring 
on themselves. The tree was fruitless, and as a lesson to 
fruitless disciples Jesus fixed it in that condition. Divine 
power expressed in a word wrought the deed. That fact 

22 furnished the connection with what followed ; Jesus said : 
"Have faith in God," he being conceived as real to faith 
rather than sight. 

1 Isa. 56 : 7. 2 Jer. 7 : 11. 3 Mat. 21 : 19. 



148 MARK XI: 22, 23. 

swering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 Verily I 
say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be 

1 In unbelief no man can please God. 2 To an evil heart 
of unbelief is traceable every stroke of divine judgment, 
which has been inflicted on an erring race. 3 It is faith that 
marks the new birth, and imparts eternal life ; that stands 
for righteousness, and brings justification and peace ; that 
lifts the clouds of divine wrath, and inspires a good hope. 
The importance of the theme has induced mysticism ; and 
much that has been said on the subject has brought dimness 
and anguish rather than light and joy. Men have tried to 
analyse faith, and set it in simpler terms ; they have under- 
taken to distinguish between secular and religious faith, and 
have assumed that the last is involved in some peculiar 
mystery ; but in all these efforts they have signally failed. 
Faith is known to every man, being the commonest thing in 
human experience. In some way every human enterprise 
rests on faith, faith in the stability of nature, or in the 
law of causation, or in the conservation of energy, or in 
the integrity of man, or in the justice and power of God. 
In every pathway trodden by human feet men walk by 
faith, and not by sight. When men are asked to believe in 
God, it is no new demand, and it is no special tax on 
credulity. Christian faith is not a new kind of mental 
activity. It is dealing with God, as children deal with 
parents, or as men deal with their fellow men in all the 
honorable walks of life. It is not a blind credulity, which 
springs out of superstition, and glories in accepting or pre- 
tending to accept doctrines that offend reason. It is a con- 
viction of things yet to come, or yet to be made manifest, 
which rests on a knowledge of things which now exist, and 
are adequate and efficient causes of the things hoped for. 
It is not knowledge, but it is based on knowledge. It is 
not presumption, but it is a conviction based on a promise. 
As the most candid mind may sometimes mistake a false- 
hood for the truth, and so become 4 the victim of delusion, 
true faith is a conviction based on a true promise. A 
covenant with falsehood is always a covenant with death, 
and a refuge of lies affords no shelter for the soul. In 
the domain of religion faith rests on the promises of God, 
and it limits the things hoped for to the scope of the prom- 
23 ises. Hence the remarkable statement : "Whosoever shall 
say to this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the 

1 Heb. 11 : 6. 

2 Heb. 3 : 12 ; Heb. 4 : 11. 

3 Gal. 3 : 26 ; James 2 : 23 ; Rom. 5:1; John 3 : 36. 

4 2 Thess. 2: 11. 



MARK XI : 23 ; 24. 149 

thou taken up and cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in 
his heart, but shall believe that what be saith coineth to 
pass; he shall have it. 24 Therefore I say unto you, All 
things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye 

sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that 
what he saith cometh to pass, he shall have it." 

The tense used is suggestive : "What he saith cometh to 
pass." It is not a thing of the future, but of the present. 
In the purposes of God all things are eternally present. 
1 There is nothing hid from his sight. 2 That which hath 
been is now, and that which is to be hath already been. If 
in the mind of God any mountain is to remove before the 
mandate of faith, there is somewhere a promise for the 
faith to rest upon, and divine power is back of the promise, 
and in the divine plan the mountain is already removed. 
Only when there is such a promise, is such a faith possible. 
All else is presumption. The saying is a forceful way of 
stating that God will fulfill to his people every word which 
he has spoken. If he says to the fig tree, "Wither," imme- 
diately it withers away. If he says to the mountain, "Re- 
move," it removes. Faith is possible wherever there is a 
divine promise, and all things are possible to faith, because 
God is able to fulfill all his word. On land and sea, in all 
the realms of life and death, unto the confines of infinitude 
he holds relentless sway, 3 and constrains all things to work 
together for good to them that love him. 
24 In harmony with these facts he further says : "All things 
whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have re- 
ceived them." * It is not that the things desired are to come 
after a season of probation and struggle, God tantalizing his 
people with doubt and hope deferred ; they are already re- 
ceived. 5 Real praying is but an echo of the divine voice 
sounding in the soul ; and, instead of being a disturbing 
element in the universe, it is a part of the divine plan. 
By a law as stable as that which brings seed time and 
harvest, which keeps the earth at a certain angle to the sun 
and crowns the north with snow, which holds every orb and 
every object in its relentless grip and guides the spheres 
through trackless abysses of space, 6 a man may come boldly 
to a throne of grace, and find help in time of need. 

Posture in prayer is not a matter of importance. 7 Moses 
and Aaron fell on their faces at the door of the tabernacle 
to intercede for Israel. s The pslamist says : "O, come let 
us kneel before the Lord, our Maker." 9 David lay all night 

1 Heb. 4 : 13. 4 Mat. 7 : 11. 7 Num. -4 : 5. 

2 Eccl. 3 : 15. 5 Rom. 8 : 2G. s Psa. 95 : 6. 

3 Rom. 8 : 28. ° Heb. 4 : 16. 9 2 Sam. 12 : 1G. 



150 MARK XI : 24-29. 

2 receive them, and ye shall have theni. 25 And whensoever 
ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one ; 
that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you 
your trespasses 3 . 

27 And they come again to Jerusalem : and as he was 
walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, 
and the scribes, and the elders ; 28 and they said unto him, 
By what authority doest thou these things? or who gave 
thee this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus said 
unto them, I will ask of you one 4 question, and answer me, 

2 Gr. received. 

3 Many ancient authorities add ver. 26 : But if ye do not for- 
give, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your tres- 
passes. Comp. Mt. 6 : 15 ; 18 : 35. 

4 Gr. word. 

in an agony of supplication. * Abraham's servant bowed 
himself and worshiped the Lord. 2 Elijah sat under the 
juniper tree, and prayed for death ; Nehemiah also sat down, 
and prayed to the God of heaven. 3 Jairus fell down at 
Jesus' feet, and prayed for help for his dying child. 4 The 

25 publican stood afar off, and prayed for mercy. In the 
synagogue and the temple it was common to stand praying. 
The attitude of the body is not so important as the state of 
the heart : "Forgive, if ye have aught against any." God 
requires his people to exercise the spirit of forgiveness, even 
as he exercises the same spirit ; if they refuse to heed his de- 
mands, they shut the door of blessing upon themselves, and 

26 render their prayers in vain : "If ye do not forgive, neither 
will your Father." This is the law of the kingdom. An 
unforgiving spirit is not the humble trustful spirit which 
gains forgiveness. If God is able to bless and forgive men, 
he is also able to administer punishment to all who deserve 
it. 5 The faith which trusts God to bless also trusts him to 
vindicate. 

27 In the city again Jesus goes immediately to the temple, 
and takes up his work of teaching. Priests, scribes, elders, 
leaders in religion and representatives of the Sanhedrin, 

28 approach and ask for his credentials : "By what authority ?" 
It is a proper question, but it is not put in a proper spirit. 
It is not designed to secure information, nor is it attended 
by any purpose to submit to authority. It is the voice of 

29 hostility, and it wins no favor. 6 The Lord of lords does 
not recognize their right to catechise him ; on the contrary 

1 Gen. 24 : 52. 4 Luke 18 : 13. 

2 1 Kings 19 : 4 ; Neh. 1:4. 5 Rom. 12 : 20 ; Jude 1 : 9. 

3 Mark 5 : 22. 6 Rev. 19 : 16. 



MARK XI: 29-33. 151 

and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 
The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? 
answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, 
If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did 
ye not believe him? 32 5 But should we say, From men — 
they feared the people: 6 for all verily held John to be a 
prophet. 33 And they answered Jesus and say, We know 
not. And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what 
authority I do these things. 

5 Or, But shall ice say, From men? 

6 Or, for all held John to oe a prophet indeed. 

30 he puts them on examination : "The baptism of John, was 
it from heaven, or from men?" The question is relevant 
and concise ; it goes to the heart of the matter, and is not 
simply a parry to put the opposition in a dilemma. In the 
public mind John is a prophet, and he constantly bears wit- 
ness to Jesus. His work, which centered around the solemn 
ordinance of baptism, has left a deep impression on the 
times. Jesus himself is a subject of John's baptism, and 
he may well demand an answer, whether it is human or 
divine in its origin : "Answer me, and I will tell you." A 
candid answer to the question solves their problem, and 
many more. x John claims divine authority for baptizing 
such as come in proper frame of mind. 2 He is offered to 
baptize the Lord, such a privilege as has come to no other 
creature ; and his act is crowned with the descent of the 
Spirit and the voice from heaven. Answering this question 
the objectors answer their own ; and if too obtuse to dis- 
cern the truth, they have promise of a word from Jesus. 

Quibblers as they are, they are not willing to meet the 

31 issue. Instead of being true to their own convictions, they 
begin to consider what is the best policy, forgetting that 
the man who is false to himself cannot be trusted to be 

32 true to any man. If they say, "From heaven," they convict 
themselves ; if they say, "From men," they incur public 
censure. They are not willing to do either, and so they 
decline to answer. Their stubbornness does not alter the 
facts, or relieve them from responsibility ; it shows that 
they are hostile to the truth, and in such a case are not 
amenable to instruction. The Jewish historian fully con- 
firms the popular estimate of John, and says it was currently 
believed that Herod's misfortunes came as a punishment for 

33 his treatment of John. "We know not," and yet the evi- 
dence is accessible and convincing. The dishonesty of the 
reply is sufficient reason for Jesus to leave them to their 
1 John 1 : 33. 2 Mat. 3 : 15, 16. 



152 MARK XII: 1-3. 

"| C\ And lie began to speak unto them in parables. A man 
X w planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged 
a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to 
husbandmen, and went into another country. 2 And at the 
season he sent to the husbandmen a 7 servant, that he might 
receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. 
3 And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away 
7 Gr. bondservant. 

fate : "Neither tell I yon." What is the use to talk to ears 
that are deaf? or to display beauty before eyes that are 
closed? 

Still teaching in the temple Jesus addressed the rulers in 

1 the presence of the people. Dealing with different aspects 
of ingratitude and unfaithfulness he uttered 1 three para- 
bles, that of the two sons, that of the wicked husbandmen, 
and that of the marriage for the king's son. Mark recorded 
only the second, a simple recital of facts which easily fell 
within the comprehension of all that heard. In the exercise 
of undisputed right a man planted a vineyard. He set a 
hedge about it for protection to the vines, digged a pit for 
the wine press, and a second vat to receive the vintage as 
it drained from the press, and built a tower, from which 
those in charge could overlook the property and protect it 
against marauders. Every detail of equipment was provided, 
and the vineyard was entrusted to husbandmen, while the 
owner, 2 having done all that he could do, took his journey 
into a far country. The distance suggested long absence, 
also high confidence in those who were left in charge. 

There was nothing harsh in the conduct of the owner. He 
demanded no security, and took no bond. He simply claimed 
reseasonable share in the products of the vineyard, and was 
willing to wait for the seasons to come and go, while vines 
matured and clusters ripened. In the distant place he did 

2 not require the husbandmen to report to him, so laying an 
extra tax on their resources ; but at the proper time he sent 
his own servant to receive his part of the vintage. There 
was no complaint that the vineyard was not properly 
equipped, or that the season was unfavorable, or that the 
grapes were not good. The bounty of the yield excited the 
cupidity of the husbandmen. Instead of being grateful for 
the opportunity of serving themselves so well in a vineyard 

3 of another, they resented the owner's claim to any share in 
the products of his land, and with wounds and bruises 

1 Mat. 21 : 28 ; Mat. 22 : 2. 2 Isa. 5 : 4. 



MARK XII: 3-6. 153 

empty. 4 And again he sent unto them another 7 servant; 
and him they wounded in the head, and handled shame- 
fully. 5 And he sent another ; and him they killed : and 
many others; beating some, and killing some. 6 He had 
yet one, a beloved son: he sent him last unto them, saying, 

7 Gr. bondservant. 

4 they repelled his servant. In patience and kindness other 
servants were sent. One was stoned, like a criminal, and 
sorely wounded in the head. Another was mercilessly beaten, 
the verb dero indicating that he was almost skinned alive. 

5 Some were actually killed in the struggle, and such as were 
left alive were roughly handled, and driven away with the 
marks of shameful treatment on their bodies. Those who 
were entrusted with the vineyard forgot the rights of the 
owner, assumed that the property belonged to them, and 
grew obdurate and insolent. 

It was a symbolic representation of Jewish history for 
many years. 1 God adopted that people, and entrusted them 
with the glory of his name among the nations of the earth. 
2 To them were given the covenants, the law, the promises ; 
and upon them the bounty of heaven descended, gentle as 
the dews of morning, demanding no return save gratitude 
and submission to the divine will. To them God gave 
vastly more than he demanded ; yet the servants, who were 
sent to represent his righteous claims, were rejected and 
cast out. a In the days of Ahab many prophets were ruth- 
lessly put to death for the testimony which they bore. 

4 Micaiah was thrust into prison, and fed on the bread of 
affliction, because he failed to prophesy smooth things. 

5 Jeremiah was fastened in the stocks, beaten, thrust into 
the dungeon, and left to sink down into the filth thereof. 

6 Urijah was forced to flee for his life, and later was caught 
and killed. 7 Zechariah, the son of Jehoida, was stoned to 
death by order of the king, because he dared to reprove 
iniquity. It was a long story of ingratitude, obstinacy, and 
strange opposition to the will of God. 

From that point the recital contained an element of 

6 prophecy : "He had yet one, a beloved son." In harmony 
with the preceding incidents of the story the owner of the 
vineyard, being still in the distant place, hardly knew what 
to do. He had made no unjust demands ; he still felt that 

1 Ex. 4 : 22 ; Deut. 14 : 1. G Jer. 26 : 23. 

2 Rom. 9:4. 7 2 Ch. 24 : 21. 
3 1 Kings 18 : 4 ; 1 Kings 19 : 10. 

* 1 Kings 22 : 24. 

5 Jer. 20 : 1 ; Jer. 37 : 15 ; Jer. 38 : 6. 



154 MARK XII: 6-11. 

They will reverence my son. 7 But those husbandmen said 
among themselves, This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, 
and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And they took him, 
and killed him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard. 9 
What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? he will 
come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vine- 
yard unto others. 10 Have ye not read even this scripture: 
8 The stone which the builders rejected, 

The same was made the head of the corner ; 
11 This was from the Lord, 

And it is marvellous in our eyes? 

8 Ps. 118 : 22 f. 

his tenants were amenable to reason, and he said to him- 
self : "They will reverence my son." The generous expecta- 
tions of the owner were doomed to disappointment. Though 
they had received so liberal treatment, the renters became 

7 arrogant and murderous. They said : "This is the heir ; 

8 let us kill him," and take the property ! From ingratitude 
and avarice they soon passed to pillage and murder. 

How patient God has been with the sins of men ! 1 In 
the earlier time he spoke fragmentarily and diversely through 
the prophets ; but in the fullness of the ages he spoke 
through his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, by 
whom also he made the worlds. To him there was no dis- 
appointment in the treatment accorded the Son, as if he 
were only a man in a distant place ; but in sending the Son 
he reached the limit of patience and kindness. As in the 
story the wicked husbandmen killed the son, and cast his 
body out of the vineyard, so the Wicked world was destined 
to kill the Son of God. 

The sense of justice, born of God and implanted in every 

9 human breast, demands that such conduct be punished. 
- Men who hear the story readily agree that the owner of 
the vineyard will miserably destroy his miserable tenants, 
and let the property to better men, and Jesus approves and 
confirms the judgment, while 3 some pray that such a fate 
may be averted. Pursuing the theme Jesus indicates that 

10 killing the heir does not settle the question : "The stone 
which the builders rejected, the same was made the head 
of the corner." In the spiritual aspects of the story 4 the 
Son is not subject to the powers of death ; though rejected, 
slain, and cast out of his inheritance, he is not finally dis- 
posed of. The rejected stone is to become the chief corner 

11 stone. B The despised name is to be honored. It is not the 

1 Heb. 1 : 1, 2. 3 Luke 20 : 16. 5 Phil. 2 : 9. 

2 Luke 20 : 16. * Acts 2 : 24. 



MARK XII: 12-14. 155 

12 And they sought to lay hold on him ; and they feared 
the multitude ; for they perceived that he spake the parable 
against them : and they left him, and went away. 

13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and 
of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk. 14 
And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, we 



work of men ; it is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in 
the eyes of all who can really see. The hostility of the rulers 
is known to Jesus, but he contemplates the future with the 
utmost confidence. He is the rejected stone, but the rejec- 
tion is not permanent. 1 He foresees the repudiation of the 
nation that repudiates its Lord, and the substitution of a 
people willing to bring forth the fruits of righteousness in 

12 due season. 2 The cast off stone is a mighty agency ; and 
whosoever shall fall upon it shall be broken, while those 
upon whom it shall fall shall be utterly consumed. 

With so faithful a disclosure of Judah's decadence and 
doom Jesus really closed his ministry to the lost sheep of 
the house of Israel. He taught other lessons, but they were 
for the comfort and help of his disciples ; his specific work 
with the Jews ended with that discourse. And with all 
their spiritual blindness the leaders perceived that the 
parable was directed against them. Instead of laying the 
lesson to heart, and striving to profit thereby, they only re- 
sented what was said, and widened the breach between them- 
selves and the only Saviour. They were anxious to destroy 
him ; but they were restrained from violence by fear of the 
people, and they went away to devise some other plan. 

3 There was a conference, which resulted in an effort to 
bring him into collision with the civil authorities. It was 

13 a shrewd scheme, which did credit to the worldly wisdom 
of the opposition. i Spies, who feigned a piety which they 
did not possess, were sent to lead him into some treasonable 
utterance, or into some expression that would arouse the 
opposition of the masses. On questions of current interest 
5 Pharisees and Herodians respectively were usually hostile, 

14 but against Jesus they were ready to make common cause. 
Their agents went with a species of flattery, for though they 
expressed the truth, they expressed it with a sinister pur- 
pose : "Thou art true, and carest not for any one." Jesus 
was no respecter of persons, and cared not for one more 
than for another. His views were not biased by his sur- 
roundings ; but he saw the truth, and saw it always, and 
uttered it without fear of favor. However unworthy the 

1 Luke 19 : 43. 3 Mat. 22 : 15. 5 Page 157. 

2 Mat. 21 : 44. 4 Luke 20 : 20. 



156 MARK XII: 14-16. 

know that thou art true, and carest not for any one; for 
thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teach- 
est the way of God : Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, 
or not? 15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, 
knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them. Why make ye 
trial of me? bring me a 9 denarius, that I may see it. 16 
And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is 
this image and superscription? And they said unto him, 

9 See marginal note on ch. 6 : 37. 

motive in bringing it forward, the question in itself was 
one of practical importance : "Is it lawful to give tribute to 
Caesar or not?" 

For tribute the questioners used the word kensos, a term 
brought over from the Latin census. Primarily it denoted 
the listed valuation of property, which regulated the amount 
of taxes paid, but in common parlance it meant the annual 
tax levied on individual citizens. The real issue was, 
whether a Jew was under obligation to recognize the Roman 
dominion by paying to support the government. On the 
plea that God was really the King, many Jews were re- 
luctant to pay the tax. x In some cases insurrection broke 
out, and blood was spilled. Pharisees were ardent in op- 
position to the tax, while Herodians were supposed to side 
with the government. They agreed in putting the issue up 
to Jesus, but they did not agree to abide by his decision. 
Like many a modern quibbler, they were not seeking the 
truth. 

The shrewdness of the scheme availed nothing, for all 

15 pretense was useless before the Lord. With supernal in- 
sight he perceived their wickedness, and with utter disregard 
for their personal feelings in the matter he ripped the mask 
from their hypocrisy: "Why make ye trial of me? Bring me 
a denarius, that I may see it." From the days of the Mac- 
cabaean kings Jewish coins of varying value were in circu- 
lation, some Greek coins also were in common use ; but the 
Roman denarius was the coin in which the tribute was 
usually paid. On one side it was stamped with an image 
of the emperor, and on the other with a Latin inscription. 
The Talmud declared that a king's coin in circulation in a 
country was evidence of the same king's authority over the 
people. Pharisee, as well as Herodian, accepted the coin, 
and no hatred against the Roman dominion was sufficient 
to banish it from the realm. On these facts Jesus based his 

16 argument: "Whose is this image and superscription?" 

1 Acts 5: 36, 37. 



MARK XII: 16-19. 157 

Caesar's. 17 And Jesus said unto thein, Render unto Caesar 
tlie things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that 
are God's. And they marvelled greatly at him. 

18 And there came unto him Sadducees, who say that 
there is no resurrection ; and they asked him, saying, 19 

There was but one answer, "Caesar's;" and that in' itself 
was an acknowledgment of Caesar's sway over them. Upon 
the treacherous questioners the conclusion came with criish- 

17 ing and illuminating force : therefore "Render unto Caesar 
the things that are Caesar's," the term for render meaning 
literally to give back. At the same time the obligation to 
Caesar did not include other bonds, and with equal author- 
ity the Lord added : "And unto God the things that are 
God's." 

The discussion that day touched an issue, which belonged 
not simply to the hour, but to the ages. The orthodox Jew 
recognized God as king over the nation, and blended the 
human government with the divine. The Pagan noted a 
difference between the human and the divine in the con- 
stitution of the state, but he conceived the two as supple- 
mental and mutually dependent. In Rome the emperor was 
the chief priest, and in Athens the republic was the guardian 
of religion as well as of civil liberties. Jesus recognized the 
dual relations of men, their obligation to the state on the 
one hand and their obligation to God on the other, but he 
sharply separated between the two. He taught not only the 
possibility, but the duty, of being alike loyal to Caesar and 
to God, to the state and the church, but to each in its own 
sphere. It was a new thought in the world, and it marked 
an epoch in the history of the race. The artful questioners 
were profoundly impressed. Herodians paid the tribute 
willingly, and were indifferent to the claims of Jehovah ; 
Pharisees hotly resented the demand for tribute, yet failed 
to meet their spiritual obligation. Both parties were equally 
rebuked by the disclosure which Jesus made ; and as the 
mighty sweep of the principle announced began to dawn 
upon them, they were greatly amazed. With all their en- 
mity they were obliged to see a new light on the perplexing 
theme, and they pondered the matter in silence. 

Sadducees were a sect of uncertain origin, usually pros- 

18 perous in things temporal, and somewhat exclusive in their 
bearing. They rejected the traditional part of Jewish 
teaching, being 1 so far in accord with Jesus. While they 
accepted some parts of the law, they were materialistic in 
their views, 2 denying the existence of angel or spirit ; so 

niat. 15: G. - Acts 23: S. 



158 MARK XII: 19-25. 

Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, 1 If a man's brother die, and. 
leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother 
should take bis wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 
20 There were seven brethren : and the first took a wife, and 
dying left no seed; 21 and the second took her, and died, 
leaving no seed behind him ; and the third likewise : 22 and 
the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also died. 
23 In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them? for 
the seven had her to wife. 24 Jesus said unto them, Is it 
not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scrip- 
tures, nor the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise 
VDt. 25: 5. 

they had no place in their creed for the resurrection of the 
body, or for a future state of conscious existence. In the 
doctrine of the resurrection they saw infinite confusion, 

19 and they came to Jesus with their case. First they ap- 
pealed to the law, 1 that a man should take his brother's 
widow, and by her bring up children in the name of the 
dead brother. They cited a case, which was probably well 

20 known, and was typical of many possible cases. Seven 
brothers, each trying to follow the requirements of the law, 

21 successively became the husband of one woman. The seven 

22 men and the one woman all died in order, and passed to the 
silent shore. In life the woman was wife to each man in 

23 turn ; in death they each have equal claims on her : "Whose 
shall she be?" 

Jesus frankly and kindly meets the issue. He under- 

24 stands the question in every detail, and discerns the error 
into which ignorance has led his questioners. The word for 
err is planomai, a term akin to planet. It means to wander 
around, like one who has lost his way ; in the metaphysical 
realm it indicates a straying of mind, a wandering from 
the truth. As leaders of the people these Sadducees are like 

3 wandering stars, lost from their orbits and pursuing the 
trackless void, receiving no light from the orb of divine 
truth and shedding none upon the darkened world. Pro- 
fessing to accept the teachings of the Scriptures in part, 
they know not the deep meaning of the same. Likewise are 
they ignorant of the power of God, which is sufficient to 
meet all the exigencies of the resurrection state. 3 It will 
provide the spiritual body, which is not subject to decay ; 

4 there shall be no more death, and so no more need of birth, 

25 birth and death being correlative events. Thus there shall 
be no need of a marriage bond, though the holy loves and 

1 Deut. 25 : 5. 3 1 Cor. 15 : 44. 

2 Jude 1 : 13. 4 Luke 20 : 36 ; 1 Cor. 15 : 26 ; Rev. 21 : 4. 



MARK XII : 25-28. 159 

from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in mar- 
riage ; but are as angels in heaven. 26 But as touching the 
dead, that they are raised ; have ye not read in the book of 
Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake 
unto him, saying, 2 1 am the God of Abraham, and the God 
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of 
the dead, but of the living : ye do greatly err. 

28 And one of the scribes came, and heard them question- 
ing together, and knowing that he had answered them well, 
4 Ex. 3: 6. 

pleasing companionships of this life shall abide in increasing- 
power. The good woman with seven saved husbands will 
not be the wife of any, but the companion and friend of 
all ; she and they will be as angels of light, x and will for- 
ever partake of the Saviour's joys. 

Turning to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the only 

26 Bible of the times, Jesus further unfolds the truth : 2 "I am 
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 
Jacob," these men having passed from the stage of life 

27 centuries before. To this majestic utterance Jesus adds : 
"He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living." 
The argument is transparent. He is the God of the living, 
and not of the dead ; he is the God of Abraham and Isaac 
and Jacob ; therefore, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob are 
living, and not dead, and are living with all the necessary 
marks of personal identity. With all their culture the Sad- 
ducees miss the truth, but Jesus brings it forth. He does 
not tell what the resurrection is ; he simply argues that 
there is a state of conscious existence after the event which 
is called death, and he assumes that it will be attended by 
all the requisites of personal identity, a body being one of 
them. The argument is not limited to Abraham and other 
such friends of God, but it applies equally to all persons, in 
as much as 3 all live unto him. It gives assurance that all 
who are in the graves shall come forth, whether for ap- 
proval or condemnation, reward or punishment. It distinctly 
controverts the doctrine of conditional immortality, i and 
brings life and immortality clearly into the light. 

With more candor than some of the opposition were will- 

28 ing to display, a certain scribe, 5 learned in the law, ad- 
mitted that the Sadducees were fully answered. Interested 
in all questions of the law, yet willing to put Jesus to a 
further test, he respectfully asked : "What commandment 
is first of all?" He wanted to know the specific quality 

1 Mat. 25 : 21, 23. 3 Luke 20 : 38. ° Mat. 22 : 35. 

2 Ex. 3 : 6. 4 2 Tim. 1 : 10. 



160 MARK XII : 28-31. 

asked him, What commandment is the first of all? 29 Jesus 
answered, The first is, 3 Hear, O Israel ; 4 The Lord our 
God, the Lord is one: 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God 5 with all thy heart, and 5 with all thy soul, and 5 with 
all thy mind, and 5 with all thy strength. 31 The second is 

3 Dt. 6 : 4 ff. 

4 Or, The Lord is our God; the Lord is one. 

5 Gr. from. 

that gave preeminence to a commandment ; for, while 1 all 
authority lay back of every divine command, in the practical 
regulation of human conduct some precepts were more im- 
portant than others. The rabbis classified commandments 
as weighty and light, great and small, though the same 
rewards or penalties were attached to all. 2 In that view 
of the case they naturally neglected the weightier matters, 
such as justice, mercy, faith, and gave attention to easier 
things. 

Admitting the reality of the distinction, Jesus mentions 

29 the commandment which is first and greatest : "Thou shalt 

30 love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength," the 
Greek terms for heart, soul, mind, strength, being kardia, 
psucJie, dianoia, ischus. This enumeration is not a meta- 
physical analysis of man, or a scientific arrangement of the 
elements of his being, but a simple statement of the truth. 
The law demands for God the love of the entire soul, the 
understanding and the affections being definitely specified, 
and this love carried up to the limits of human strength. It 
is a demand which no man can meet ; so 3 the law becomes 
a schoolmaster to direct the sinner to him who becomes 
righteousness and sanctification and redemption to all that 
believe. 

After naming the command which is first in the order of 
statement and greatest in its effect on conduct, i Jesus 

31 passes on to a second : "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self." Like the first, this also exceeds the limits of mere 
human accomplishment. 5 By nature men are selfish and 
unholy ; they cannot please God in the keeping of his com- 
mands, and are not in subjection to his will. The ability 
to love either God or man comes as one of the fruits of the 

6 Spirit, and he that brings forth this fruit is already in the 
light. In this is fulfilled all the law, and there is nothing 
beyond. 

Whatever the scribe's purpose in testing the Lord with 

J James 2 : 10. i Lev. 19 : 18. 

2 Mat. 23 : 23. 5 Psa. 51:5; Rom. 8 : 7, 8. 

3 Gal. 3 : 24 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 30. 6 Gal. 5 : 22 ; 1 John 2 : 10. 



MARK XII: 31-35. 161 

this, 6 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is 
none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the 
scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well 
said that he is one ; and there is none other but he : 33 and 
to love him with all the heart, and with all the understand- 
ing, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as 
himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and 
sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered dis- 
creetly, he said unto him, Thou are not far from the king- 
dom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any 
question. 
35 And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the 

1 Lev. 19 : 18. 

the 1 question, the test is not in vain. The questioner feels 

32 the force of the Lord's answer, and admits that it is well 

33 said. He devoutly repeats the sentiments which Jesus has 
uttered, and declares such love more than all burnt offer- 
ings and sacrifices, the highest forms of ritualistic service. 
Still consorting with Pharisees and doubting if Jesus is the 
Messiah, he passes beyond the letter, and enters into the 
spirit of the Scriptures. His insight awakens the interest 

34 of Jesus, and evokes the response : "Thou art not far from 
the kingdom of God." So near, and yet unsaved ! The fact 
is full of encouragement, and also of warning. Many a 
man has lived in touch with sacred things all his life, a 
Bible in his house, a church at his door, a Christian at his 
side, a minister as his friend, and yet has failed to accept 
a the only name that saves. The kingdom comes nigh, but 
he does not enter in. 

The different sects and parties, Pharisees, Sadducees, 
Herodians, lawyers and scribes, have tried their wits with 
Jesus, and in every argument they have been baffled and 
rebuffed. They quit the game, not daring to test him 
further. 

Still teaching in the temple, Jesus becomes the questioner. 
3 He appeals to their intelligence, the power to think being 
a distinguishing gift, and asks what they think of the Christ, 
Christos being the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew term 
Messiah. Desiring to lead them to a true conception of his 
nature, he specifically asks whose son they take him to be. 

35 The scribes of the times admit that he is David's son, * ac- 
cording to the word of the prophets ; but is he not some- 

iRom. 13: 10. 

2 Acts 4 : 12 ; Luke 10 : 9, 11. 

3 Mat. 22 : 42. 

4 Isa. 11 : 1 ; Jer. 23 : 5 ; John 7 : 42. 

—11— 



162 MARK XII: 35-39. 

temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the son of 
David? 36 David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 

7 The Lord said unto my Lord, 
Sit thou on my right hand, 

Till I make thine enemies 8 the footstool of thy feet. 
37 David himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he his 
son? And 9 the common people heard him gladly. 

38 And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, 
who desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations 
in the marketplaces, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues, 

7 Ps. 110 : 1. 

8 Some ancient authorities read underneath thy feet. 

9 Or, the great multitude. 

36 thing more than a mere lineal descendant of David? David 
speaks in Psalm 110, so David is its author. David speaks 

37 by the Holy Spirit, so he is inspired. David speaks of 
Jesus as his Lord, so Jesus is not simply the Son of Mary, 
or the Son of David, David and the Holy Spirit in whom 
he spoke being witnesses. David bears witness that Je- 
hovah has said to Messiah, who is identified as David's Son, 
"Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies the 
footstool of thy feet." It is a pledge of the ultimate suc- 
cess of the Messiah's kingdom, * and of the ultimate sub- 
jection of all his foes ; and it rings with a note of triumph. 
2 The imagery of enemies trodden under foot is taken from 
the Scriptures. 

Whatever the temper of the rulers, even to the last day of 
his public ministry the multitudes that thronged the temple 
court, the unofficial classes who had no prestige or position 
to lose, and no pride of learning to be abased, heard him 
gladly. They found in him a friend, such as they had never 
found in the conceited scribes or the lordly rabbis. 

As the multitudes pressed upon him, Jesus further bound 
them to him by uttering a warning against the public teach- 

38 ers of the times : "Beware of the scribes." It was not an 
effort to arouse prejudice against a class, but 3 to save a 
dependent class from the disaster of following blind guides. 
Those very scribes who were aspiring to be leaders of the 
people were seeking honor for themselves rather than bless- 

39 ing on their followers. Full dress, indicated by a Greek 
term which designated the official robes of kings and gran- 
dees, public deference, high seats in synagogue and festal 
hall, 4 long prayers uttered in the hearing and sight of men, 

1 Isa. 45 : 23 ; Rom. 14 : 11. 3 Mat. 15 : 14. 

2 Josh. 10 : 24 ; Isa. 63 : 3. 4 Mat. 6 : 5. 



MARK XII : 3&-42. 163 

and chief places at feasts : 40 they that devour widows' 
houses, * and for a pretence make long prayers ; these shall 
receive greater condemnation. 

41 And he sat down over against the treasury, and be- 
held how the multitude cast 2 money into the treasury : and 
many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came 3 a 
poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a 

1 Or, even while for a pretence they make. 

2 Gr. brass. 

3 Gr. one. 

40 all became a cloak for their own avarice and injustice, and 
a reason for a severer judgment in the end. x The misuse 
of spiritual privileges and the betrayal of public trust only 
incurred a deeper condemnation. It was a solemn warn- 
ing, but its effect was not recorded. 

The Lord's last day in the temple drew to a close. In 

41 silent contemplation he sat opposite the treasury, which 
stood in the women's court. It consisted in thirteen brazen 
chests, called in Hebrew shopheroth, trumpets, and was so 
named from the shape of the apertures into which the 
money was dropped. Of these chests nine were for the 
general tribute to the temple expenses, and the remaining 
four for the offerings designed to buy wood, incense, and 
temple decorations. As the people exercised their benefi- 
cence, Jesus observed. The term expressing his action was 
in general use in recording the act of an officer making 
formal review of troops, noting every detail. It indicated 
an attentive look designed to' make a discovery. He be- 
held how the people put money into the treasury, their gifts 
indicating their character. As the procession of givers 
passed, he noticed the rich putting in polla, neuter plural, 
many coins, or in the aggregate much, as was their privilege. 

42 In contrast with the many affluent and happy persons who 
brought their offerings, there came one widow, described as 
ptoche. In classic Greek the term was applied to such as 
were reduced to absolute beggary and wretchedness, and 
were objects of humiliation and scorn. The one widow 
having come, the phrase indicating that she came somewhat 
apart from the crowd, cast in two lepta, making a kodrantes. 
The lepton was a thin brass or copper coin, and was the 
smallest in use at that time. The woman was not content 
to give one, as a less generous person would have done. 
She had but little money, but she had great faith. Her 
self-respect demanded that she do her best to give something 
worthy of herself and her God, and she gave both, the two 
*Mat. 11: 21. 



164 MARK XII : 42-44— XIII : 1. 

farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and said 
unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast 
in more than all they that are casting into the treasury : 44 
for they all did cast in of their superfluity ; but she of her 
want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. 



13 



And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his 
disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what man- 



constituting her financial all. It was an artless expression 
of a loyal soul rich in the enjoyment of divine grace, and 
confident in her reliance upon God for the supply of all her 
needs. 

On the treasurer of the temple her meager offering prob- 
ably made but little impression, and in others it may have 

43 provoked a smile ; but Jesus singled it out. Calling his dis- 
ciples, for the multitude had dropped away, he expressed 
his approval and admiration : "This poor widow hath cast 
in more than they all." Not that her two mites counted 
for more in the market place than all the offerings of pros- 
perity, but that they showed a larger liberality and a 

44 stronger faith than the gifts of others showed. They gave 
of their surplus, she of her penury. They had much left, she 
nothing. They made no sacrifice, she went to the limit. By 
her generosity she made her name immortal, and won the 
praises of the Son of God. 

As a boy 1 Jesus sat with the doctors in the temple, ask- 
ing and answering questions. As a man he often resorted 
thither to worship or to expound the truth to eager throngs. 
All day in the courts of the sanctuary he discoursed upon 
mighty themes, unfolding the Scriptures and solemnly warn- 
ing men against the woes which they were inviting. In 
1 the evening he went out. It was his final departure, and it 
naturally stirred solemn thoughts. There was a majesty in 
his mien, which impressed his disciples. Never did the 
temple seem more beautiful or grand. One of the disciples 
was constrained to say : "Behold, what manner of stones 
and what manner of buildings !" According to Josephus 
some of the foundation stones were seventy-five feet long, 
and ten feet wide. The structure, as built by Solomon and 
restored by Herod, was one of the architectural wonders of 
the world. It gleamed before the eyes of beholders in stately 
dignity and ornate glory seldom surpassed. What stones of 
colossal size and varied hue, beveled and built with ex- 

1 Luke 2 : 46. 



MARK XIII: 1-4. 165 

ner of stones and what manner of buildings! 2 And Jesus 
said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall 
not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not De 
thrown down. 

3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the 
temple, Peter and 4 James and John and Andrew asked him 
privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what 
shall J)e the sign when these things are all about to be ac- 

* Or, Jacob. 

quisite care ! What stately pillars and graceful pinnacles ! 
What magnificence, attesting the toil and sacrifice of genera- 
tions past ! Yet the temple and all for which it stood was 
hastening to decay. The decree was inexorable, the doom 

2 certain. The mouth of the Lord uttered it : "There shall 
not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be 
thrown down," the last clause indicating a heap of rubbish. 
It was merely a repetition of a previous saying : "The days 
shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a 
bank about thee, compass thee round and keep thee in on 
every side, and shall dash thee to the ground and thy 
children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one 
stone upon another, because thou knowest not the time of 
thy visitation." 

Passing down the slope from the temple to the brook, 

3 Jesus and his disciples crossed over to the brow of Olivet, 
where they sat in full view of the city and the temple. A 
throbbing agony tortured his spirit, as he thought of the 
struggles which lay just ahead of his nation. A sense of 
approaching disaster hovered in the air. With the idea of 
the destruction of the temple, and along with it the city, 
surging in their minds, four of the disciples ventured to 
ask: "When shall these things be?" They were learning 

4 prudence. Not Peter alone, as sometimes happened ; not 
in the public assembly, but in private, Jcaf idian, the phrase 
indicating a confidential request, they sought information. 
They felt that vast issues were involved. To predict the 
wreck of the temple was a serious matter. 1 Later Stephen 
was brought to trial on such a charge, and was ruthlessly 
put to death. In the disciples' minds 2 the ruin of the 
temple and the city marked the end of the world, or the con- 
summation of the current age, and the return of Jesus to 
take charge of all things. They earnestly desired to know 
when the events should come to pass, and what signs would 
indicate their approach. In the discourse that followed, 

* Acts 6 : 13. 2 Mat. 24 : 3. 



166 MARK XIII : 4-8. 

complished? 5 And Jesus began to say unto them, Take 
heed that no man lead you astray. 6 Many shall come in 
my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray. 7 
And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be 
not troubled : these things must needs come to pass ; but the 
end is not yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and 
kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in 
divers places; there shall be famines: these things are the 
beginning of travail. 

Jesus made answer, always keeping the full scope of their 
question in mind. 

As one of the signs of coming disaster he first mentioned 

5 false counsel : "Take heed that no man lead you astray." 
Under conditions as they existed, disciples, uncertain, per- 
turbed, trembling with fear and anticipating the things 
destined to come, were naturally an easy prey for designing 

6 men. Uncertainty became the occasion of imposture. Many 
were ready to ride into prominence and power on the waves 
of Messianic hopes, saying : "I am he." After Jesus as- 
cended, the way was open for others to claim his place, and 
demand allegiance by all that he had done. 1 So came 
Theudas, proclaiming himself to be somewhat, and leading 
bis followers to ruin. Judas, of Galilee, also made great 
claims that were unfulfilled. According to Josephus there 
were several men who undertook to assume the role of Jesus 
on earth, and to profit by the expectations which he en- 
gendered. Jesus spoke of a kingdom, though he said it was 
not of this world ; and impostors, who loudly claimed divine 
inspiration and guidance, undertook to pervert the word of 
Jesus for political ends. They aroused many to acts of 
violence, and so hastened the destruction which Jesus fore- 
told. The Lord's warning against such pretenders was in 
itself an assertion of his own claim to Messiahship. 

7 A second sign lay in wars and rumors of wars. An 
ancient proverb said : "Worse than war itself is the fear of 
war." The actual troubles were precursors of troubles to 

8 come. Jesus did not specify the countries destined to engage 
in the wars ; he simply proclaimed a period of disturbance, 
which should shake the nations. Some years later Caligula, 
Claudius and Nero took action against the Jews scattered 
throughout the Roman empire. At Alexandria and other 
points many thousands were put to death, and their prop- 
erty confiscated. Four Roman emperors were murdered in 
swift succession, and the powers of earth were shaken. 

i Acts 5 : 36, 37. 



MARK XIII: 9-11. 167 

9 But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver 
you up to councils ; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten ; 
and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, 
for a testimony unto them. 10 And the 5 gospel must first be 
preached unto all the nations. 11 And when they lead you 
to judgment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand 
5 See marginal note on ch. 1 : 1. 

To national conflicts physical convulsions also are to be 
added : "There shall be earthquakes in divers places," these 
being attended by irregular seasons, depleted harvests, and 
consequent famine and suffering. Such are some of the 
preliminary signs of approaching disaster. They mark the 
beginning, but not the end of the travail, indicated in the 
term odin, which is used to set forth the pangs of child- 
birth, as well as the struggle out of which the new kingdom 
is to be born. The word is a prophecy, as well as a warn- 
ing. In the purposes of God the passing of the old means 
the birth of the new. 

In the mind of Jesus these birth pangs are seen to take 
9 the form of personal affliction : "They shall deliver you up 
to councils ; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten," as a test 
of faith and fidelity. The things spoken are soon to come 
to pass. 1 Some of the men present will soon realize the 
truth of what has been said. Beyond the realms of the 
synagogue Gentiles will take up the opposition, and carry 
on the work of persecution : "Before governors and kings 
shall ye stand for my sake," not as a testimony against 
them, but as a testimony unto them, in this way having a 
chance to preach to a class of persons, who otherwise are 

10 not likely to hear the gospel. By fidelity under so distress- 
ing conditions the gospel must first be preached unto all 
the nations, as known to contemporary history, before the 
end of the city and the temple. Or the statement may refer 
to the end of the next age, when Jesus shall come again, so 
making the second coming a motive in missionary endeavor. 

In view of the coming tribulation, it was a gracious thing 

11 to receive a word of comfort : "When they lead you to judg- 
ment, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what 
ye shall speak." God does not forget his own : "It is not 
ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit." Primarily the promise 
is given to the twelve, but it is not limited to them. 2 Jesus 
is no respecter of persons, to accept one and reject another 
equally willing and equally faithful. His promise does not 
displace ordinary prudence, or relieve men of responsibility 
in trying to provide against disaster. It simply insures 

1 Acts 4 : 3, 7 ; Acts 5 : 27. 2 Acts 10 : 34. 



168 MARK XIII : 11-13. 

what ye shall speak : but whatsoever shall be given you in 
that hour, that speak ye : for it is not ye that speak, but the 
Holy Spirit 12 And brother shall 6 deliver up brother to 
death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up 
against parents, and 7 cause them to be put to death. 13 
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but 
he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. 

6 See ch. 3 : 19. 7 Or, put them to death. 

divine succor according to the will of God for those who 
yield themselves up to do the divine will, * going forth as 
sheep among wolves, and suffering all necessary afflictions 
for Jesus' sake. It is a promise made to disciples, who deny 
themselves and take up the cross, and it has no application 
to such as recognize no obligation to Christ, and in no way 
seek to glorify his name. 

2 The disciples were speedily brought before Jewish rulers, 
and a little later before heathen magistrates. They were 
scourged, threatened, thrust into prison, put to death. 3 Paul, 
who came in later, was beaten with rods, pelted with stones, 
mauled and smitten, until the very heart of cruelty might 
have melted with pity. 4 Others had trial of cruel mockings 
and scourgings, and other tortures that reached the limits 
of devilish device, being stoned, sawn asunder, taxed, 
tempted, thrust through with the sword. As 5 a beast with 
seven heads and ten horns, the spirit of persecution moved 
down the ages, breathing out threatenings and slaughter 
against the upright in heart, haling men and women to 
prison, bringing them before courts and magistrates, and 
inflicting dire pain. Persecutions in Asia, Africa, Europe, 
every land ! Good men delivered over to unspeakable tor- 
tures ! Right forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the 
throne ! Gentle spirits on the rack of pain, and Calvaries 
everywhere ! Man's inhumanity to man making countless 
millions mourn ! Under such conditions there was urgent 
need of help from on high. Nothing less was sufficient to 
meet the case. When he said : 6 "I will give you a mouth 

12 and wisdom," he provided against every emergency, even 
when the closest ties of blood were rudely rent asunder, and 

7 disciples were made the offscourings of all things. 

In prospect of such affliction a promise of victory is 

13 made : "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be 
saved." Such a promise transforms common clay into val- 

1 Mat. 10 : 16. 5 Rev. 13 : 1 ; Acts 9 : 1. 

2 Acts 5 : 18 ; Acts 12 : 2, 5. 6 Luke 21 : 15. 

3 2 Cor. 11: 25. 7 1 Cor. 4 : 13. 

4 Heb. 11 : 36. 



MARK XIII : 14, 15. 169 

14 But when ye see the abomination of desolation stand- 
ing where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), 
then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: 
15 and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor 

liant heroes, and clothes mortal men with deathless courage. 
Under its mighty spell * Peter and John are able to defy the 
threatenings of the Sanhedrin, and to rejoice that they are 
accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord ; 
Stephen praying for his enemies calmly falls asleep, and Paul 
finding pleasure in reproaches and persecutions for Christ's 
sake. Delivered over to inquisitorial tortures 2 others have 
found grace sufficient for their needs, and dying, as is ap- 
pointed for every living thing, they have found the hills 
of glory just beyond the valley of strife, and have passed 
in rapture into the presence of the King. 

14 Referring more especially to the end of the city, Jesus 
mentions the abomination of desolation, a Hebrew con- 
struction which means the abominable thing that brings 
desolation. The phrase is brought over from 3 Daniel : "The 
daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination 
that maketh desolate shall be set up." A word of caution 
is offered against misunderstanding the reference, but no 
explanation is given. To the faithful who were willing to 
apply the word, no doubt the meaning was sufficiently clear. 
To later students of the passage the Roman army, as it 
began to lay siege to the city, seems to be meant. An 
ancient saying among the Jews connects the capture of the 
city and the ruin of the temple with the defiling of the 
temple by the Jews themselves ; and history records that, 
while the legions of Titus compassed the city, her children 
within her contended among themselves, rending, tearing, 
destroying one another, until the heathen were moved with 
pity, and tried to end the strife and pain. It was a fearful 
thing for the chosen people to cast away their heritage in 
the Messiah and in the prophets and in the holy place. By 
such fatal conduct they lost all, and instead of uniting 
against a common foe they bit and devoured one another, 
and so were bitten and devoured. 

Such conditions marked the end of the predicted travail, 
in which disciples were instructed to be patient and endure, 
and indicated the time for flight. They in Judea beyond 
the limits of the city were to strike out for the mountains, 
denoting any place of safety in the wild country into which 

15 desolating armies were not likely to penetrate. From the 
flat roofs of houses, which were reached by outside stair- 
i Acts 5 : 41 ; Acts 7 : 60 ; 2 Cor. 12 : 10. 3 Dan. 11 : 31. 

2 2 Cor. 12 : 9. 



170 MARK XIII: 15-20. 

enter in, to take anything out of his house: 16 and let him 
that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. 17 
But woe unto them that are with child and to them that 
give suck in those days ! 18 And pray ye that it be not in 
the winter. 19 For those days shall be tribulation, such as 
there hath not been the like from the beginning of the 
creation which God created until now, and never shall be. 
20 And except the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh 
would have been saved; but for the elect's sake, whom he 

ways, it was easy to descend to the ground ; and such was 
the emergency, that there was no time to lose in snatching 
up an extra garment, or in securing a precious treasure 

16 from the house. Flight was the one important thing, and 
every energy was needed in getting away from a scene so 

17 appalling. The Lord's boundless pity flowed out in the 
words : Ouai de tais en gastri echousais kai tais thelazousais. 
Alas for the suffering women, who so often bear the brunt 
of disaster ! To bring forth and nourish children is a com- 
mon lot of womanhood, but such functions inevitably add 
to the hardships of travel, and make a hasty flight more 
difficult. In the awful distress that came, some mothers 
forgot the claims of nature, and in their agony and despair 

18 they slew and devoured their own offspring. "Pray ye that 
it be not in the winter," as winter in Palestine sometimes 
brought storm and snow, and in the haste of departure 
there was no time to provide ordinary comforts. x The 
annals of time recorded many calamities, the flood, the 
ruin of Sodom and Gomorrah, the overthrow of the Egypt- 
tian armies, the slaughter of the Canaanites, the destruc- 
tion of the Assyrian hosts, the obliteration of Baby- 

19 Ion and Nineveh ; but in none of the appalling events that 
startled the race was there such frenzy of violence and 
anguish as attended the fall of Jerusalem. All the special 
fierceness of divine wrath was poured out on that rebellious 
people, and on them was fulfilled the saying : 2 "Vengeance 
is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord." It was a temporal 
retribution visited on the city and the people for rejecting 
the Messiah. The horror of the event was heightened by 
incidents that seemed avoidable, but for the spirit of ob- 
stinancy and unbelief which dominated the Jewish mind. 

20 Only divine intervention in shortening the days of travail 
kept the population of the city from being wiped out; but 
for the sake of his elect, chosen from the world, God short- 

1 Gen. 7 : 22 ; Gen. 19 : 24 ; Ex. 14 : 28 ; Josh 10 : 40 ; 2 Kings 
19 : 35. 

2 Deut. 32 : 35 ; Rom. 12 : 19. 



MARK XIII: 20-23. 171 

chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if any man shall 
say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ; or, Lo, there; believe 
8 it not: 22 for there shall arise false Christs and false 
prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may 
lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But take ye heed: 
behold, I have told you all things beforehand. 
8 Or, him. 

ened the days of the siege, and so saved some flesh, the 
saving being temporal rather than spiritual. Among the 
incidents tending to shorten the days was an order from 
Claudius, which caused Herod to stop the work of strength- 
ening the walls of the city ; the division of the Jews into 
parties, that spent their strength against each other rather 
than against the common enemy, and the burning of large 
supplies of corn just before the siege began. Also the 
stony heart of Titus was moved with compassion for the 
woes of the city. He was friendly to Josephus, also to 
Bernice, a sister of Agrippa, and for a season was disposed 
to relent in the fierceness of the attack. At any rate there 
came a brief cessation of hostilities, and in that favorable 
moment many of the disciples departed from the doomed city. 
Realizing the necessities of the case, Jesus gives em- 

21 phasis to the warning against pretenders : "Believe it not," 
no matter what claims are made, or what wonders are per- 
formed. The warning is positive and clear, yet many have 
failed to receive it. History records that one Simeon of 
Gerassa proclaimed his ability to bring deliverance ; and 
1 with signs and wonders and all deceivableness of unright- 
eousness he gained admittance to the city, where he wrought 

22 the basest forms of iniquity. The same spirit has been 
manifest in succeeding ages. From Judas the Galonite and 
Simon the sorcerer down to Alexander Dowie and Mary 
Eddy false prophets and pretended Messiahs have come 
with profane devices to make merchandise of the name of 
Jesus. Or they have come in the name of learning, and 
with an air of superior wisdom they have assailed the 
foundations of faith. With all their high pretensions they 
have brought no deliverance. Neither in the desert of 
agnosticism nor in the wilderness of philosophy, neither in 
the secret chamber of heresy nor in the public utterances 
of a 2 science falsely so called does the weary soul find rest. 

23 Concerning every such pretense the Saviour says : "Take 
ye heed." The warning is for all the world, but especially 
for the household of faith, the pronoun being emphatic. It 
is always worth while for the Lord's people to be heedful 

1 2 Thes. 2 : 10. 2 1 Tim. 6 : 20. 



172 MARK XIII: 24, 25. 

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall 
be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 and 
the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that 

how and what they hear. They are told beforehand. Fore- 
warned is forearmed. 

To this point the remarkable discourse has a certain con- 
tinuity of reference to the fall of the city and the closing 
of the former age, when the daily sacrifice shall be taken 

24 away. After the distress described as birth pangs, Jesus 
foretells signs in nature : "The sun shall be darkened, and 

25 the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall be fall- 
ing from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall 
be shaken." The passage is very obscure. Various exposi- 
tions have been offered, these being mutually contradictory 
and inconclusive. In any literal sense the language seems 
hardly intelligible in some of its parts. For various reasons 
literal darkness may come over the earth, but how can 
stars literally fall from heaven, when some of them are 
vastly larger than the earth? In the prophets the imagery 
of the passage is common in the portrayal of national 
calamities. The x divine visitations upon Babylon and Egypt, 
upon sinners in general and Israel in particular, are set 
forth in similar terms. 2 Micah says : "The sun shall go 
down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over 
them ; then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners 
confounded." The language implies the destruction of those 
things that have been considered great and glorious in the 
history of the people. In his famous discourse at Jeru- 
salem 3 Peter quotes a like passage from Joel : "I will show 
wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath, 
blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be 
turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the 
day of the Lord come, that great and notable day." Re- 
ferring to the events of Pentecost, which so stirred the mul- 
titudes, 4 he also says : "This is that," taking the imagery of 
changes in the heavens in no literal sense, but simply as 
indicating the notable things that were coming to pass 
before their eyes. 5 Luke lays emphasis on the earthly 
turmoil rather than celestial signs : "Upon the earth distress 
of nations in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the 
billows; men fainting for fear and for expectation of the 
things that are coming on the inhabited world." In ex- 

1 Isa. 13 : 10 ; Ezek. 32 : 7, 8 ; Isa. 24 : 23 ; Amos 8 : 9. 

2 Micah 3: 6. 

3 Acts 2 : 19. 
* Acts 2 : 16. 

e Luke 21 : 25, 26. 



MARK XIII : 25-27. 173 

are in the heavens shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they 
see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and 
glory. 27 And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, from the 
uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 

planation of the stirring events that lay just ahead, it is 
further said : "The powers that are in the heavens shall be 
shaken," implying, as the words are interpreted in harmony 
with the figure, not that the supreme authority of Jehovah 
is in anyway strained, but that the forces that have upheld 
the old order are shaken loose. 

26 As the old order passes, the new takes its place : "The 
Son of man coming in the clouds, the sublime drapery of his 
presence, with power and great glory." The language is 
taken directly from the vision of Daniel : x "One like the 
Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to 
the Ancient of days, and was brought near before him. 
And there was given unto him dominion and glory and a 
kingdom, that all people and nations and languages should 
serve him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion which 
shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not 
be destroyed." The passage represents the kingdom in Its 
beginning rather than in its consummation and full glory. 
The coming mentioned in this passage is 2 not what is 
usually called the second coming of Christ ; it is simply 
the coming of the Lord through the extension of his king- 
dom in the world, the formalities and restraints of the old 
dispensation having passed away. The ruin of Israel's 
ancient capital, with the destruction of her elaborate ritual, 
has a spiritual significance which has not been fully under- 
stood ; it ranks among the important events in the course 
of divine providence, as removing an opposing system, and 
leaving the new kingdom without a rival in the realms of 
revealed religion. 

The instrumentality of his coming is declared to be his 

27 angels : "Then shall he send forth the angels." Confusion 
has arisen through a restrictive application of the term 
angel. In popular usage and chiefly in the Scriptures the 
word is applied to those spiritual beings that abide in the 
presence of God, created, and subject to the divine will, and 
yet 3 a little higher than man ; but it has other uses. Pri- 
marily the word means a messenger, one who is sent. It 
is brought over from the Greek, aggelos, and is sometimes 

i Dan. 7 : 13, 14. 

2 Mat. 24 : 34 ; Mark 13 : 30 ; Luke 21 : 32. 

» Psa. 8 : 5 ; Heb. 2 : 7. 



174 MARK XIII: 28-30. 

28 Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her 
branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, 
ye know that the summer is nigh ; 29 even so ye also, when 
ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that e he is nigh, 
even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, This generation 

9 Or, it. 

translated, though oftener it is not. It is applied to x the 
messengers who were sent over to spy out the land of 
Jericho ; to a those who were sent to Jesus to enquire about 
his identity ; to 3 John the Baptist himself ; to 4 the disciples 
who were sent ahead to prepare for Jesus in the Samaritan 
village, and to 5 the pastors of the seven churches of Asia, 
the men who bore the message of life and salvation to the 
people. In the verse under consideration there is nothing 
to forbid this primary use of the word, the angels being 
simply the ministers and messengers of the truth, sent forth 
to declare the gospel to 6 those who are ordained unto eternal 
life. Matthew mentions a great trumpet, but where is there 
a mightier trumpet than that of the gospel? 7 "The great 
trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready 
to perish." The four winds, from the uttermost part of the 
earth to the uttermost part of heaven, these are simply 
phrases to indicate the scope of gospel operation, like 8 into 
all the world, to every creature. 

The law of the seasons is not more stable than the law 

28 which operates in divine providence : "From the fig tree 

29 learn her parable." Her budding betokens the inevitable 
approach of summer ; just as surely do the things mentioned 
indicate the approaching end of the ancient regime, and the 
coming of the Lord in the manner described. With distinct 

30 emphasis Jesus says : "This generation shall not pass away, 
until all these things be accomplished," precluding the idea of 
applying his language to some period then far distant. The 
Greek word for generation is genea. It is used primarily to 
indicate a birth, or nativity ; then to designate persons of 
the same stock, or the several ranks in the line of descent, 
including all who are living at the same time. It is not 
used of the race, as continuing from century to cen- 

1 Josh. 2:1; James 2 : 25. 

2 Luke 7 : 24. 

3 Mai. 3 : 12 ; Mat. 11 : 10 ; Luke 7 : 27. 

4 Luke 9 : 51.. 

s Rev. 1 : 20 ; Rev. 2 : 1, 8, 12, 18 ; Rev. 3 : 1, 7, 14. 
6 Acts 13 : 48. 
7 Isa. 27: 13. 
s Mark 16: 15. 



MARK XIII: 30, 31. 175 

shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. 
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall 

tury. When this idea is to be expressed, x the plural is 
used, 2 or else there is a conception of passing from one 
generation to another. As indicating the end of the city 
and of the formal rites of Judaism, the word is used in the 
ordinary sense, men present at the time actually living to 
witness the predicted calamities, and it cannot be differently 
applied in the same connection without violence to the 
principles of sound interpretation. 

With no unusual meaning carried in his words the pre- 
diction of Jesus is so remarkable, so improbable to human 
judgment, that he feels constrained to give additional as- 
31 surance, and to emphasize it by contrast : "Heaven and 
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." 
This is no mere rhapsody born of tumultuous emotion ; it 
is a serene statement from him who is called Son of God, 
Saviour, and it harmonizes with the trend of Scripture 
teaching. 3 "As the rain cometh down, and the snow from 
heaven !" No fury of opposition affects the clouds. No 
theorizing, however learned and scientific, regulates the 
rain. No resentment keeps back the snow. Gently it drops 
into its place, softening and enlivening the earth, making it 
bud and bring forth, giving seed to the sower and bread to 
the eater. So is the word of God. 4 It shall not return 
void. It is a wonderful thing for God to speak in the lan- 
guage of man. 8 He utters his voice, the earth melts ; he 
commands, and it stands fast. Whether about the coming 
end, or any other matter, his word is secure. It props the 
highest hopes of man. 6 It is the pledge and patent of im- 
mortality, giving assurance of things hoped for, and es- 
tablishing conviction of things not seen. T It dispels dark- 
ness, and dispenses light. It is seed to the sower, and 
bread to the eater. 8 It is a weapon of conquest for such as 
go forth to war ; a sword of the Spirit, which pierces 
asunder. 

The stability of the word is set in contrast with the pass- 
ing of the heaven and the earth. 9 They shall perish, wax- 

1 Acts 14 : 16 ; Acts 15 : 21 ; Eph. 3:5; Col. 1 : 26. 

2 Luke 1 : 50. 

3 Isa. 55 : 10. 
4 Isa. 55: 11. 

5 Psa. 46 : 6 ; Psa. 33 : 9. 

6 1 Cor. 15 : 53. 

7 Psa. 119 : 105. 

3 Eph. 6 : 17 ; Heb. 4 : 12. 

9 102: 26. 



176 MARK XIII : 31-34. 

not pass away. 32 But of that day or that hour knoweth 
no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but 
the Father. 

33 Take ye heed, watch * and pray : for ye know not when 
the time is. 34 It is as when a man, sojourning in another 
country, having left his house, and given authority to his 
2 servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter 

1 Some ancient authorities omit and pray. 

2 Gr. bondservants. 

ing old as a garment, or folded up as an outworn vesture. 
1 The truth is frequently stated in the Scriptures, and con- 
stantly assumed. The hosts of heaven shall be dissolved, 
and the heavens rolled together as a scroll that has been 
read. In God's calendar these events are appointed to take 
place at the second coming of Christ, a The facts are 

32 fixed, but the date is reserved among 2 secret things : "Of 
that day and that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels 
in heaven, neither the Son, ei me ho pater," literally, "if not 
the Father." The notion that Jesus here confesses igno- 
rance of the future is entirely gratuitous, and contrary to 
what is written. The statement is an assumption of 2 what 
is elsewhere distinctly declared, his oneness with the Father. 
Not in his human personality as the Son of Mary, but in 
his divine personality as the Son of God he knows 4 the 
times and the seasons which the Father hath set in his own 
authority, and in this case he makes no disclosure. If pry- 
ing people care to figure on 5 Daniel's times, time, and a half 
time, or to lay a measuring rod on the changing visions of 
the Revelation, they have their trouble for their pains, and 
at last are no wiser than others, for they know not when 
the time is. The certainty of the coming and the uncer- 
tainty of the time are designed to strengthen hope and in- 

33 spire effort : "Take ye heed, watch." The word proseuch- 
esthe, which expresses the exhortation to pray, is omitted 
from the Westcott and Hort text. The terms for heedfulness 
and watching imply a constant vigilance originating in a 
wakeful frame of mind, which drives sleep from the eyes 

34 and slumber from the eyelids. The need of such vigilance, 
whether attended by prayer or not, is illustrated in the 
case of a man sojurning in another country, who has left 
his affairs in charge of servants, having apportioned work 

1 Isa. 34 : Isa. 51 : 6 ; Isa. 65 : 17 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 13 : Rev. 21 : 1. 
a 1 Thes. 4 : 15, 16 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 10. 

2 Deut. 29 : 29. 

3 John 10 : 30, 36. 
* Acts 1 : 7. 

6 Dan. 12: 7. 



MARK XIII: 34-37— XIV : 1. 177 

to watch. 35 Watch therefore: for ye know not when the 
lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, 
or at cockcrowing, or in the morning; 36 lest coming sud- 
denly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you 
I say unto all, Watch. 

MNow after two days was the feast of the passover 
and the unleavened bread: and the chief prfests and 
the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, 

to each, and having enjoined the utmost fidelity. The Greek 
for servant is doulos, which means a slave rather than a 
hired servant. x Paul calls himself the doulos of the Lord 
Jesus Christ ; he was not his own, but was bought with a 
price. 

Jesus assumes that he is Master of the house, and that 
he has absolute authority to command his servants : "Watch 
therefore." The future coming is sure, but the time is 
not revealed. It may be in the morning or in the evening, 
by day or by night. The servant that spends his time try- 
ing to pry into the Master's plans shows unworthiness and 
distrust. - The servant that turns from his duties to fuss 
with fellow servants or to carouse with idlers is basely un- 
faithful. The only course that is sure to please the Master 
and bring commendation and reward is to be forever ready. 
3 The story of the five foolish -virgins illustrates the awful 
fate that awaits those who are caught unprepared. 

The feast of passover and unleavened bread was a single 
festivity. It commemorated the mercy extended to parents 
and their first born on account of subjection to the divine 
will, as related in Exodus 12, and further explained in 
chapters 13, 23, and 3-1 of the same book. The season 
began with the paschal meal, which was originally on 4 the 
14th day of Nisan. the first month of the Jewish sacred 
year, though by later enactment it was sometimes permitted 
on 5 the 14th of the second month. The 6 first and seventh 
days of the festival were Sabbath days, days of holy con- 
vocation and cessation from all forms of needless labor. 
Through the whole period ' unleavened bread was used, that 



8 : 13 ; Mat. 26 : 17. 



a Rom. 1 


1. 








2 Mat 24 


48. 








3 Mat. 25 


: 10. 








*Lev. 23 


5. 








5 Num. 9 


11. 








6 Ex. 12 : 


16. 








7 Ex. 12: 


15, 17 ; 


2 


Chr 


>n 


—12— 











178 MARK XIV: 1-5. 

and kill him : 2 for they said, Not during the feast, lest 
haply there shall be a tumult of the people. 

3 And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the 
leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having 3 an 
alabaster cruse of ointment of 4 pure nard very costly; and 
she brake the cruse, and poured it over bis head. 4 But 
there were some that had indignation among themselves, 
saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment 
been made? 5 For this ointment might have been sold for 

3 Or, a ftasJc. 4 Or, liquid nard. 

1 fact suggesting a new name for the feast. Two days before 
the feast, the phrase being somewhat indefinite, the Jewish 
rulers began to feel that the time was ripening for the 
destruction of Jesus, but there were difficulties in the way. 
In the throngs attending the passover there were many who 
had received some blessing from Jesus, to say nothing of 
the disinterested public that generally demanded fair play ; 
and an effort to arrest him might create resentment. On 
the other hand his power over the unofficial classes seemed 
to be increasing. Those who assumed responsibility for the 
religious instruction of the people were deeply perplexed. 

2 Priests and scribes in consultation tried to devise some 
scheme to take him by craft, and yet they hesitated, lest 
they should arouse a storm of protest. 

Bethany was the home of Lazarus and his sisters, as well 
as of Simon, formerly a leper, but in all probability cured 

3 by the Master. As Jesus was taking a meal at Simon's 
house, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, quietly entered the room, 
being a neighbor, and on familiar terms, bringing a cruse 
of costly perfumery, which she opened and poured on his 
head. At an earlier period 1 another woman performed a 
similar act, anointing his feet and wiping them with her 
hair, the two occasions being distinct in time, place, pur- 
pose, and personality. In the first instance 2 the act excited 
wonder that Jesus allowed such familiarity on the part of 

4 one who was regarded as an uncommon transgressor; in 
the second the lavishness of the expenditure aroused the 
resentment of avarice, the actual value of the ointment 
being about $53 in Federal money. The opposition, ex- 
pressed in a Greek word which means literally to ache with 
vexation, 3 originated with Judas Iscariot, and was shared 

5 in some measure by others. The pretext for making the 
complaint was the good the money would do, if given to 
the poor, though the real objection lay not in care for the 

1 Luke 7 : 37, 38. 2 Luke 7 : 39. 3 John 12 : 4, 12. 



MARK XIV: 5-9. 179 

above three hundred 5 shillings, and given to the poor. And 
they murmured against her. 6 But Jesus said, Let her 
alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work 
on me. 7 For ye have the poor always with you, and when- 
soever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not 
always. 8 She hath done what she could ; she hath anointed 
my body beforehand for the burying. 9 And verily I say 
unto you, Wheresoever the 6 gospel shall be preached 
throughout the whole world, that also which this woman 
hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 

5 See marginal note on ch. 6 : 37. 

6 See Marginal note on ch. 1 : 1. 

poor, but in an avaricious spirit, which yearned for an op- 
portunity to handle the money and perchance to appropriate 
to personal use some part thereof. Much of the complaint 
against generosity might be traced to a similar cause. They 
murmured against her, embrimaomai, a term used to express 
the snorting of horses or other animals ; literally, they 
snorted at her, expressing their deep resentment. They 
were not quite ready to snort at Jesus, though he was a 
party in the transaction ; but their anger was intended for 
him, as well as for her. 

Jesus understood it. He took up her cause, which was 
his own ; and in a tone of stern rebuke he cut into their 

6 vehement tirade: "Let her alone! Why trouble ye her?" 
He understood what they did not, that Mary with her deep 
spiritual insight, guided by a loving heart, 1 was embalming 
him for the tomb. That was in the deed, whether Mary 
clearly perceived it or not. He was about to depart ; but 
the poor were destined to remain, whatever the foolish 

7 schemes devised to make everybody rich. The perpetual 
presence of the poor was designed to give perpetual op- 
portunity to cultivate the spirit of beneficence, every sight 
of poverty being an invitation to do good ; but only once in 
the ages was a generous soul permitted to do what Mary 
did : "Me ye have not always." It was a reminder of 2 what 
he had already said, and would repeat in their hearing. 
At no time in his earthly career did he utter such an 

8 encomium as he then pronounced upon the woman : "She 
hath done what she could," a thing that so few have ever 
done. By following the guidance of a devout and loving 

9 heart she won immortal fame : "Wheresoever the gospel 
shall be preached throughout the whole world !" So he said, 
and so it was. It was the immortality of a good deed. 

i Mat. 26 : 12 ; John 12 : 7. 2 Mat. 17 : 22 ; John 14 : 28. 



180 MARK XIV: 10-13. 

10 And Judas Iscariot, 7 he that was one of the twelve, 
went away unto the chief priests, that he might 8 deliver him 
unto them. 11 And they, when they heard it, were glad, 
and promised to give him money. And he sought how he 
might conveniently 8 deliver him unto them. 

12 And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they 

sacrificed the passover, his disciples say unto him, Where 

wilt thou that we go and make ready that thou mayest eat 

the passover? 13 And he sendeth two of his disciples, and 

7 Gr. the one of the twelve. 8 See ch. 3 : 19. 

There was a psychological connection between the incident 

10 of the ointment and the departure of Judas to confer with 
the priests. Whether or not he had conferred with them 
before, he knew their desire to lay hands on him quietly. 
The money wasted by Mary missed his itching palm, but 
the rebuke administered by the Lord went straight to the 
mark. The opportunity of giving resentment a practical 
turn and of getting money at the same time was at hand, 
and Judas improved it, going to the chief priests to arrange 
for the betrayal. He took the initiative, for he knew his 
men. Avarice coupled with resentment, and not conviction, 
was the motive, and he asked : "What will ye give me?" 

11 Be it said to their credit, that the priests did not originate 
the base plan, though they rejoiced in it ; instead of offering 
a bribe, they simply proposed to pay for the service ren- 
dered. They did not regard the proposal as a heroic offer, 
nor did they mean to waste money on so base a character. 
Unconsciously fulfilling 1 the words of the prophet, they 
promised him thirty pieces of silver. The fact that a dis- 
ciple could make such a proposal was a reflection on the 
teaching which he had received, and a new reason for 
stopping such work. They promised, but they knew their 
man too well to pay beforehand. Stimulated by the pros- 
pect of money, Judas immediately set about to meet his part 
in the base bargain. The people were still to be reckoned 
with, and it was necessary to carry out the nefarious scheme 
in the dark, or at some early hour when the crowds were 
not so dense. 

Returning to the subject of the feast Mark's narrative 

12 proceeded in a new line. As the time for the passover 
came on, disciples still true to Jewish customs asked about 
the preparation which Jesus desired to have made : "Where 
wilt thou?" It was not a question of the day or the city, 
but of a suitable house in which to observe the rite. From 

13 Bethany Peter and John were sent with specific instruc- 
iZech. 11: 12. 



MARK XIV: 13-17. 181 

saith unto them, Go into the city, and there shall meet you 
a man bearing a pitcher of water : follow bim ; 14 and 
wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the master of the house, 
The Teacher saith, Where is my guest-chamber, wmere I 
shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15 And he will 
himself show you a large upper room furnished a-ncl ready : 
and there make ready for us. 16 And the disciples went 
forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said 
unto them : and they made ready the passover. 
17 And when it was evening be cometh with the twelve. 

tions. The man bearing the pitcher of water was not the 
owner of the house, but a servant or some one who had 
free access to the premises, and was at liberty to come or 

14 go at will. The owner was one kindly disposed toward 
Jesus, and able to recognize him under the title of Teacher. 
He was comfortably off in worldly goods, as indicated by a 
home with a guest chamber ; but all traditions and guesses 

15 concerning his identity are vain and worthless. He gra- 
ciously responded to the appeal of the apostles, and put at 
their disposal a large upper room ready furnished for the 
service. The general record suggests, but does not prove, 
that it was 1 the same upper room in which the many were 
gathered together praying, when the Holy Spirit came in 
power after the ascension of the Lord, that it became a 
place of prayer for months after Pentecost, and was the 
place to which Peter resorted after his deliverance from 
prison. It was the kataluma, the guest chamber, or, in 
modern parlance, the spare room of the house. The same 
term was used to designate 2 the inn, in which there was 
no room for Joseph and Mary, when they went up to Jeru- 
salem at the time of Jesus' birth. In the Greek the phrase 
"good man of the house" is expressed in a single word, which 

16 may be rendered houseboss. Spoken in supernal wisdom the 
words of Jesus were exactly fulfilled ; the disciples found 
all just as he had said. The room was ready, and they 
made ready the passover. The preparation consisted in 
securing the paschal lamb, carrying it to the temple to be 
butchered by the priest, bringing it back to the chosen 
house to be prepared according to the law ; also in provid- 
ing the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs, the wine, and the 
water of purification. Whatever else was needed to make 
the observance complete was provided by the two. 

When it was evening, the term being indefinite, Jesus 

17 came with the twelve. After engaging to betray the Lord, 

1 Acts 1 : 13 ; Acts 2:1; Acts 12 : 12. 

2 Luke 2:7. 



182 MARK XIV: 18-20. 

18 And as they °sat and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I 
say unto you, One of you shall * betray me, even he that 
eateth with me. 19 They began to be sorrowful, and to say 
unto him one by one, Is it I? 20 And he said unto them, 
It is one of the twelve, he that dippeth with me in the dish. 
9 Gr. reclined. 1 See marginal note on ch. 3 : 19. 

Judas also came with the eleven. For about three years he 
was intimately associated with them, and was honored as 
treasurer of the band ; but up to that hour, so far as the 
record shows, no one had suspected his true character. He 
was a shrewd and cautious man, or the disciples were the 
embodiment of guilelessness. He sat with the rest at the 
paschal meal. It was in no sense a social function, or a 
family feast ; and there was no occasion for inviting other 
disciples, or even calling Mary the mother of Jesus. That 
passover marked an epoch in the life of each one present. 
For Judas it was an hour of exposure ; for all an hour of 
sorrow. As they were eating the sacrifice touched with 

18 bitter herbs, Jesus uttered the startling words : "One of you 
shall betray me." Usually the paschal supper was a feast 
of deliverance for the chosen of the Lord, also of vengeance 

19 on the obstinate and unsubmissive ; but to those present that 
evening it was a feast of sorrow. At an earlier date no 
doubt an intense denial would have sprung to the lips of 
Peter and all the rest ; but under the shadow of that ap- 
palling revelation each one doubted himself, and began to 
enquire : "Lord, is it I ?" 

1 The hope of the hypocrite is doomed to perish. The 
time of disclosure is at hand. Now must 2 the sheep's cloth- 
ing be lifted from the wolf. While other writers give some 
details of the scene, Mark comes at once to the heart of 

20 the matter : "He that dippeth with me in the dish." There 
is some variation, but no contradiction, in the several ac- 
counts of the occurrence. There are several actors in the 
momentous scenes, and it is not strange that different writ- 
ers dwell on different details. When all the narratives are 
considered together, the order of events seems to be as fol- 
lows : The gathering of the thirteen at table ; the announce- 
ment of the coming betrayal, as the passover meal proceeds ; 
the solemn questioning of the disciples openly, and the 
quiet request of Peter for John to secure from Jesus the 
name of the traitor ; the reference to the dipping into the 
dish, and the handing of the sop to Judas ; the response of 
Judas, and the quiet confirmation given by the Lord ; the 
solemn observations concerning the traitor; the entrance of 
i Job 8 : 13. 2 Mat. 7 : 15. 



MARK XIV: 21, 22. 183 

21 For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: 
but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is 
betrayed! good were it 2 for that man if he had not been 
born. 

22 And as they were eating, he took 3 bread, and when he 
had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take 

1 See marginal note on ch. 3 : 19. 3 Or, a loaf. 

2 Gr. for him if that man. 

Satan, and the immediate exodus of Judas, hastened by the 
remark : * "What thou doest, do quickly." 

Efforts have been made to find in Judas some good motive 
for his dark deed ; to excuse him on the ground of destiny ; 
to make him the victim of circumstances ; in some way 
to lift the shadow of infamy which has hung over his name 
so long. The effort is vain. The fact that Jesus was 
destined to the cross in nowise limits the iniquity of putting 

21 him there. The awful words of Jesus cannot be annulled : 
"Good were it for that man, if he had not been born." 

With the departure of Judas the passover comes to an 

22 end, or is merged into something new. Jesus takes bread 
and wine from the passover preparation, and institutes 
what is sometimes called the Lord's Supper. The name 
probably has its origin in the fact that the institution sprang 
out of the passover meal, which was eaten at night. The 
New Testament nowhere mentions the institution as a sup- 
per. z The only passage in vv'hich the word supper occurs in 
connection with it is a negation : "This is not to eat the 
Lord's supper." It is for the Christian dispensation what 
the passover was to the Mosaic, as it is written : 3 "Christ 
our passover is sacrificed for us." 

It is naturally inferred that Jesus used some of the un- 
leavened bread, which was prepared for the passover ; and 
yet nothing in the record indicates that unleavened bread 
is essential in the observance. It is bread as the staff of 
life, rather than any special kind of bread, that is necessary. 
Years afterward i Paul mentions the matter, saying : "He 
took bread," but he does not specify wheat bread, rye bread, 
rice bread, corn bread, leavened or unleavened ; it is simply 
bread at hand, and in use as food for the people. For all 
the purposes of the observance the rye bread of Russia or 
the corn bread of Virginia is equally effective with the un- 
leavened bread of the Jews. Taking the bread, Jesus asks 
a blessing, 5 as on other occasions. It is simple grace before 

1 John 13 : 27. 4 1 Cor. 11 : 23. 

2 1 Cor. 11 : 20. 5 Mark 8:6; John 6 : 11, 23. 

3 1 Cor. 5 : 7. 



184 MARK XIV: 22-24. 

ye: this is my body. 23 And he took a cup, and when he 
had given thanks, he gave to them : and they all drank of 
it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the 

meals. Paul says : "He took bread, and when he had given 
thanks he brake it." He passes the bread to the disciples, 
saying : "Take ye ; this is my body." 

This saying is the basis of the Catholic doctrine of tran- 
substantiation, which is officially stated in these words : "If 
any one denieth that in the sacrament of the most holy 
eucharist are contained truly, really and substantially, the 
body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ, but 
saith that he is only therein as in a sign or in a figure or 
virtue, let him be anathema." According to this crass and 
brutal doctrine, which makes every Christian worse than 
a cannibal, the disciples sat there and ate the Lord, body, 
blood, soul, and divinity ; and did it, while he talked with 
them ! Worse than Judas, who went out to 1 betray him to 
death, they mangled him with their teeth, and ate him 
alive, doing it as a special mark of friendship ! What more 
could his enemies do? This miserable hocus-pocus, an ugly 
term derived from the Latin hoc est corpus, a part of the 
ritual of transubstantiation, is an affront to refined sensi- 
bilities and common sense, and a violation of fundamentals 
of interpretation. There is no sort of miracle or mysticism 
in the case. Bread is bread, representing all forms of food 
for the physical man. As such it is a type of the soul 
food, * which comes down from heaven, of which a man may 
eat and never die. As bread is appropriated to bodily needs 
through physical organs, 2 the spiritual bread is appropriated 
to spiritual needs through faith. Nothing more ; nothing 
less. 

23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks as 
before, he gave to them, and they all drank. Passions have 
arisen and books have been written about the kind of wine 
Jesus used, whether fermented or unfermented,' whether this 
or that. As a matter of fact the word wine nowhere occurs 
in any Scripture reference to the ordinance ; and all the 
learned lumber put on the market, about yayin and tirosh, 
gleukos and oinos, is worth less than nothing in settling 

24 the question. Jesus designates the contents of the cup as : 
"My blood, which is shed for many 3 for the remission of 
sins ;" and, that no one may suppose it to be literal blood, 
he immediately calls it this fruit of the vine. It is fruit 

1 John 6 : 51. 2 John 6 : 35. 3 Mat. 26 : 28. 



MARK XIV: 24, 25. 185 

* covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Verily I say 
unto you, I shall no more drink of the fruit of the vine, 
until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. 

4 Some ancient authorities insert new. 

of the vine before the giving of thanks, and fruit of the 
vine afterward. The kind of a vine is not designated. In- 
ference makes it a grape vine, but inference is not law in 
the kingdom of Christ. The country deacon who comes to 
the ordinance with the fruit of the blackberry vine is quite 
within the letter and the spirit of the Scriptures. There 
is no need to quibble over matters that are merely incidental. 
The phrase "for the remission of sins," els aphesin liamar- 
tion, indicates the purpose for which Jesus has died. x It 
occurs quite often in the Scriptures, and implies the taking 
away of all guilt and the substitution of justification in- 
25 stead. The saying : "I will drink no more of the fruit of 
the vine, until the day that I drink it new," is puzzling, 
especially in the last clause. In the first Jesus simply an- 
nounces that such an opportunity will not come to them 
again. It is the last passover with his disciples. As it is 
an occasion of sweet fellowship, drinking anew in the 
kingdom of God suggests the holy fellowship which awaits 
the followers of Jesus, - when they have entered into the 
joys of their Lord. 

Such is the institution of a simple rite which makes a 
mute appeal often more eloquent than any form of words. 
Many a man unmoved by argument has felt his heart 
soften before the emblems of the broken body and shed 
blood. Around them gather deep emotions, holy hopes, 
noble sentiments. In every land where Christ is preached, 
under various forms of faith, this simple rite is observed, 
and men are moved by its strange power. The recurrence 
of the observance is regulated by no fixed rule, but is left 
to the judgment and piety of the Lord's people. 3 At Troas 
. disciples came together on the first day of the week to break 
bread, the language implying a customary act ; 4 earlier 
Christians continued daily in the temple, and in breaking 
the loaf from house to house. In this matter, as in others, 
God's people are called unto liberty, time, place, outward 
circumstance, of the ordinance being determined by no 
definite precept or succinct example. From meager details 
given in the sacred records it is impossible to reproduce all 
the changing scenes in the upper room, as step by step the 

1 Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts 2 : 38. 3 Acts 20 : 7. 

2 Mat. 25 : 23. * Acts 2 : 42. 



186 MARK XIV: 26-28. 

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto 
the mount of Olives. 

27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be 5 offended: 
for it is written, 6 1 will smite the shepherd, and the sheep 
shall be scattered abroad. 28 Howbeit, after I am raised 

5 Gr. caused to stumble. 6 Zech. 13 : 7. 

old passover passed forever away, and was succeeded by the 
simple service which silently proclaims that Jesus has 1 shed 
his blood for the remission of sins. 

Paul assumes that there is to be repetition, and to the 
memorial idea he adds a prophetic meaning : 2 "As often as 
ye eat this bread and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's 
death till he come." It is a tangible monument to the his- 
toric fact that Jesus died, and is a perpetual reminder of 
his promised coming. There is no reason in nature for ob- 
serving the rite ; it is simply a question of obedience to the 
will of Jesus. Many a Christian man eats three times a day 
in obedience to the demands of his physical appetite, but is 
not willing to stop twice a year, and eat in obedience to 
the teaching of his Saviour. For such neglect he must 
answer to his own conscience, and at last must meet his 
Lord. 

26 The service was closed with an unknown hymn. Specu- 
lations on the subject are simply speculations, which add 
nothing of value to any man's store of knowledge. Some- 
times the passover closed with the chanting of psalms, the 
celebrant leading the music. Possibly Jesus followed the 
custom, and carried it over to the new passover ; but he 
left no certain information on the subject. From the upper- 
room Jesus and the eleven went to the Mount of Olives. 

He has already delivered his 3 parting address, and has 
offered the intercessory prayer ; has told the story of the 

27 talents and of the final separation. Now he takes up the 
discourse : "All ye shall be offended," that is, caused to 
stumble, to doubt, to fall into confusion. He recalls 4 the 
prophecy : "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall 
be scattered abroad ;" and he says the time of fulfillment 
is at hand. According to this utterance the disciples are 
destined to stumble in their minds, to fall away in their 
allegiance to their Lord, forsaking him utterly and fleeing 
for safety. Jesus does not speak in terms of rebuke ; he is 
simply telling them beforehand, that when it shall come to 

28 pass, they may know. He confirms the utterance by a 
promise to meet them again in Galilee, the promise assum- 

illeb. 9: 22. 3 John xiv— xvii; Mat. 25: 14, 31. 

2 Cor. 11 : 26. * Zech. 13 : 7. 



MARK XIV: 28-32. 187 

up, I will go before you into Galilee. 29 But Peter said 
unto him, Although all shall be 5 offended, yet will not I. 
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that 
thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, 
shalt deny me thrice. 31 But he spake exceeding vehe- 
mently, If I must die with thee, I will not deny thee. And 
in like manner also said they all. 

32 And they come unto 6 a place which was named Getk- 
semane : and he saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while 

5 Gr. caused to stumble. 

6 Gr. an enclosed piece of ground. 

ing that he is to die and return to life. The saying sup- 
ported by the word of the prophet makes no impression on 
the mind of Peter. He stoutly rebels against the plan out- 

29 lined, and asserts his opposition : "Although all shall be 
offended, yet will not I." He does not see that he is already 
stumbling in contradicting the Lord. In the presence of 
such obstinacy and self-will Jesus goes a step further, un- 

30 folding the things that are just at hand : "Thou today, this 
night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me thrice." 

31 Still unsubdued, Peter speaks with vehemence : "If I must 
die with thee, I will not deny thee." Yet the very words 
are a denial of the wisdom of Jesus, or of the truth of 
what he has said ; they contradict the plain statement of 
the Lord. Like many another disciple, Peter uses words 
whose import he does not fully weigh. He asserts his fidel- 
ity, the assertion itself being a reflection on both Jesus and 
the prophet whom he quotes. Under the influence of Peter's 
ignoble example, others also dispute what Jesus has said : 
"So say they all." To this day these foolish disciples have 
many successors, who claim to be honoring the Saviour, 
while they dishonor and disobey his word. 

After the conversation about stumbling, Jesus passes 

32 down from the mountain, and enters the garden of Geth- 
semane, which lay along the brook Kidron. A modern 
garden or orchard, securely inclosed and kept under lock 
and key, in which are eight gnarled and ancient olive trees, 
is pointed out as the true Gethsemane ; and sentimental 
travelers stand with bowed heads on what is declared to 
be the exact spot where Jesus prayed in agony for the 
passing of the bitter cup. Josephus, however, states that 
at the siege of Jerusalem Titus caused all the olive trees 
about the city to be cut down ; and any definite location of 
the spot is entirely fanciful. The name is derived from the 
Hebrew gath, meaning a press, and shemen, meaning oil. 



188 MARK XIV: 32-36. 

I pray. .33 And he taketh with hiin Peter and 8 James and 
John, and began to be greatly amazed, and sore troubled. 
34 And he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful 
even unto death: abide ye here, and watch. 35 And he 
went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed 
that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from 
him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible 
8 Or, Jacob. 

From these facts it is easy to fancy the place as originally 
a site for an oil mill, where the product of adjacent trees 
was prepared for the market. There is a verbal connection 
between the name and the words spoken by the prophet : 
1 "I have trodden the wine press alone ; and of the people 
there was none with me." 

Entering the inclosure, not to elude his pursuers, but to 

33 have a season of meditation and prayer, Jesus asks three 
of the disciples to go with him farther into the garden, as 
companions and witnesses in the scenes about to be enacted. 
First of the three is the man destined to deny him, showing 
that Jesus does not resent the inevitable. He is of tender 
compassion, 2 and has put his own prayer between Peter 
and ruin. As he moves out into the shadows, he begins to 
be greatly amazed and sore troubled, ehthambeo and ade- 
moneo, terms used by the Greeks to indicate the most ex- 
treme anguish which a soul can suffer. The first expresses 
a sense of amazement bordering on to stupefaction, a 
strange and startling experience unlike anything previously 
known ; the second is clearer, sharper, stronger, indicating 
a sort of climax in suffering. Jesus himself explains the 

34 terms in the language : "Exceeding sorrowful even unto 
death." It is not a physical pang ; it is a soul sorrow, 
which strikes deeper than the flesh. The three are near, 

35 but not in his immediate presence. Stepping more deeply 
into the shadows Jesus falls to the ground, and prays in 
an agony of supplication, that the appointed cup may pass 
away, yet is his prayer offered in the spirit of submission 
to the divine will. 3 In the struggle he sweats blood, and 
receives the ministration of angels. All the furies of tor- 
ment are turned loose to do their worst, and their worst 
they do. 

What the cup from which Jesus shrank was has never 
been determined, and cannot be. Varying opinions are 
many, but they are only opinions. The record speaks for 
itself, and each reader is at liberty to interpret for himself. 
Probably the simplest idea is that Jesus, the man, shrank 

1 Isa. 63 : 3. 2 Luke 22 : 32. s Luke 22 : 43, 44. 



MARK XIV: 36, 37. 189 

unto thee ; remove this cup from me : bowbeit not what I 
will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and fmdeth 
them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? 

from the pangs incident to his death, although he came into 

36 the world for that very thing. In his prayer he addresses 
the Father with the Aramaic term Alba, expressive of filial 
affection and respect, like the familiar papa. 1 With strong 
crying and tears he offers up his petition, and is heard ; 
but he does not receive the specific thing for which he 
pleads. In his prayer he asks for a thing that lies beyond 
the pale of divine purposes ; and he asks, and receives not 
the boon for which he asks. Instead, there is granted 
strength for the duties required. 2 As the Captain of salva- 
tion he is made perfect through suffering, that in all things 
he may be a merciful and faithful high priest in things 
pertaining to God. In any case the cup is a symbolic term 
indicating that which God meets out to the subjects of his 
sway. By the subjection of the human will to the divine, 
all real triumphs are achieved, the case of Jesus being no 
exception. Being a son, he yet learns obedience by the 
things which he suffers, and is made the author of eternal 
salvation to all who obey him. The apparent inconsistency 
in praying to be delivered from the death which he came 
to suffer, and thus wavering in the act that consummated 
the work of redemption, is chargeable solely to the flesh. 
The incident unfolds the awful force of the temptation to 
which he was subjected, and at the same time it discloses 
a fidelity to the divine will which nothing is able to over- 
come. The billows of hell sweep over him, but they are not 
sufficient to drive him from his holy purpose. In his 
prayer for what does not come coupled with calm acceptance 
of what is appointed, he sets an example for all his people, 
who, knowing not what to pray for as they ought, often ask 
for things that cannot be given. In this experience he 
learns the blessing of an unanswered prayer and a thwarted 
will, the higher will of God being done in him. In his 
obedience unto death he descends to a depth of humility, 
from which he rises to heights of glory never before attained. 

Returning to the three friends after the first season of 

37 prayer, Jesus finds them sleeping. With the touch of a 
skilled physician Luke suggests that they were overcome 
by sorrow, the reaction from the stress and strain of the 
hour inducing sleep. Jesus addresses Peter, though his 
words are intended for James and John as well : "Couldst 
thou not watch 3 with me one hour?'' The Greek ore is 

1 Heb. 5:7. 2 Heb. 2 : 10, 17. 3 Mat. 26 : 40. 



190 MARK XIV: 37-41. 

couldest thou not watch one hour? 38 9 Watch and pray, 
that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is will- 
ing, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away, 
and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came, 
and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy ; 
and they knew not what to answer him. 41 And he cometh 
the third time, and saith unto them, x Sleep on now, and 
take your rest: it is enough; the hour is come; behold, the 

9 Or, Watch ye, and pray that enter not. 

1 Or, Do ye sleep on, then, and take your rest? 

not specifically sixty minutes, but a stated season, as 
spring, summer, autumn, winter, or a day, or a part of a 
day, or any definite time, as the hour of death or the hour 
appointed for any special experience. On the lips of Jesus 
at this time it means the season in which he desired the 
sympathy of chosen friends and the fellowship of the Father. 
Realizing the dullness of the watchers he gives instruction, 
which applies to them and to their successors in faith and 

38 service : "Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- 
tion." The call to prayer is more impressive, because it is 
enforced by his example. Amid the various snares that are 
laid for human feet, 1 it is worth while to walk circum- 
spectly. The fact that the flesh is weak, however willing 
the spirit, is not mentioned as an apology for past failure, 
but as an incentive to future watchfulness. Weakness of 
the flesh is a reason for keeping awake, since mere willing- 
ness of spirit wins no victory. 

39 Turning back to the depths of the garden, Jesus prays 
again, using the same words that he used before. The needs 
are the same, and they can be expressed in no fitter terms. 
Variety in prayer is naturally pleasing to the rhetorician, 
but it counts for nothing in securing blessing for the soul. 

40 Weighed down by an unaccountable languor the disciples 
are caught asleep again, and they are filled with confusion 
and shame, though there is no word of censure. 

Whether or not there is any special reason for the third 
prayer, Jesus offered it. It is also recorded that Daniel 
prayed three times a day, and that Paul prayed thrice for 
removal of the thorn that rankled in his flesh. At the third 
petition Paul receives answer that sufficient grace will be 
administered, and at the third Jesus is comforted and satis- 

41 fled. He comes to the drowsy disciples, and calmly says : 
"Sleep on now, and take your rest." He is not speaking in 
irony or resentment, as has been suggested. He knows their 

'Eph. 5:15. 



MARK XIV: 41-44. 191 

Son of man is 2 betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Arise, 
let us be going : behold, he that 2 betrayeth me is at hand. 

43 And straightway, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, 
one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords 
and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the 
elders. 44 Now he that 2 betrayed him had given them a 

2 See marginal note on ch. 3 : 19. 

frame, and remembers that they are dust. The tender words 
imply that, so far as he is concerned, the time for watch- 

42 fulness is past, the agony over, the hour come. In the same 
breath he says : "Arise ; let us be going." 

Over the brow of Olivet the full moon pours her soft 
light. In the distance sounds the ominous tread of hasten- 
ing feet. Occasionally a gleam from jostling lanterns 
flashes into the shadows. The traitor is at hand ; and Jesus 
goes forth to meet the appointed doom, his composure in- 

43 dicating a perfect knowledge of all that awaits him. Judas, 
one of the twelve ! The language indicates a lingering sur- 
prise, that one so favored could be so base. With him is 
not an orderly array of public officials, but a miscellaneous 
mob, armed with sticks and clubs, as well as the swords 
usually carried by soldiers of the garrison. In some way 
undisclosed the priests have procured the assistance of the 
Roman governor in their scheme ; and a detachment of sol- 
diers, keeping the disorderly throng somewhat in check, 
moves with precision down one slope and up another, Judas 
leading because he knows the way. 

It is considered wise to take all possible precaution against 
emergencies. With Jesus are eleven men, who have made 
solemn pledge to go with him to prison and to death, if the 
occasion demands. If they live up to their pledge, resisting 
or giving alarm, trouble is likely to ensue. In such a case 

44 there will be need of trained soldiers. The token of identi- 
fication is a kiss. Matthew calls it a semeion, a sign. Mark 
uses the word sussemon, which indicates a military signal, 
used in directing the movements of an army. The word 
suggests the pernicious activity of Judas in planning the 
matter, and yet why shall he be blamed for using his best 
skill in trying to succeed in the thing that he has under- 
taken? He has engaged to do a certain thing, and his 
effort to accomplish what he has engaged to do adds noth- 
ing to its baseness. There will be ample time for regret. 

The kiss was a common salutation among Jews and 
Romans of the time, * and was probably used by the dis- 

1 Rom. 16 : 16 ; 1 Cor. 16 : 20 ; 1 Thes. 5 : 26 ; 1 Pet. 5 : 14. 



192 MARK XIV: 44-^8. 

token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; take 
him, and lead him away safely. 45 And when he was come, 
straightway ne came to him, and saith, Rabbi; and 3 kissed 
him. 46 And they laid hands on him, and took him. 47 
But a certain one of them that stood by drew his sword, 
and smote the 4 servant of the high priest, and struck off 
his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are 
ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves to 
3 Gr. kissed Mm much. 4 Gr. bondservant. 

45 ciples. In any case it was a token of friendship. In har- 
mony with the agreement Judas drew near, and kissed Jesus, 
the word indicating a certain profuseness of affection, 
literally, he kissed him much. That Jesus did not blight 
the traitor with the breath of his mouth, and drop him 
into the nethermost pit of the deepest hell, is a token of 
his patience ; but there was a tone of reproach in the words : 
1 "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" 
Surely the deed comprised every element of baseness, avar- 
ice, cunning, hypocrisy, treachery, and even a misuse of 

46 the signs of love. A few of the incidents of that historic 
transaction were recorded. When Jesus made himself 
known, 2 the soldiers went backward, as if impelled by an 

47 irresistable power, and fell to the ground. Probably that 
incident inspired 3 Peter with new courage ; in an instant 
he drew a sword, and slashed away at a servant of the high 
priest. Among the friends of Jesus that night * there were 
two swords, but only one was brought into use, and in- 
stantly sheathed. 5 His kingdom was not of this world, 
and his friends were forbidden to take up the sword in his 
name, an order which has often been forgotten. Instead of 
cleaving the servant's head, as was probably intended, 
Peter's furious blow only struck off the man's ear ; and 
with pity for the smiter and the smitten the bound Jesus 
said : 6 "Suffer ye thus far" the use of my hands, and he 
touched and healed the servant's wound. He was not in 
need of human defense. 7 Legions of angels leaned from the 
battlements of heaven, and longed to offer their services, and 
were restrained by divine power. Jesus was not helpless, 
though he was unarmed. The course of his life was a career 

48 of peace. He came to save, and 8 was in no sense a man 
of violence. There was a tone of reproach in the question : 
"Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and 
staves, to seize me?" Such preparation indicated utter mis- 

1 Luke 22 : 48. 4 Luke 22 : 38. 7 Mat 26 : 54. 

2 John 18 : 6. 5 John 18 : 36. 8 Mat. 12 : 19. 

3 John 18 : 10. G John 22 : 51. 



MARK XIV: 48-54. 193 

seize rue? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, 
and ye took me not: but this is done that the scriptures 
might be fulfilled. 50 And they all left him, and fled. 

51 And a certain young man followed with bim, having 
a linen cloth cast about him, over his naked body: and they 
lay hold on him ; 52 but he left the linen cloth, and fled 
naked. 

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest : and there 
come together with him all the chief priests and the elders 
and the scribes. 54 And Peter had followed him afar off, 
even within, into the court of the high priest ; and he was 

49 apprehension of conditions on the part of the rulers. They 
knew not what they did. The wonder of their conduct was 
made clear in the fact, which they did not deny : "I was 
daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not." 
Already x Jesus was numbered with the transgressors, though 
he had done no violence or harm to any living thing. The 
explanation lay in the words : "That the Scriptures might 
be fulfilled." It was 2 the hour of darkness, when the prince 
of evil came iuto his own ; and in harmony with the warn- 

50 ing which Jesus had given, they all left him and fled. 

There was, however, a certain young man, not mentioned 

51 as a disciple of Jesus, who followed on in the throng. He 
had only a loose garment thrown about him, called a sindon, 
usually made of linen or some other light and costly stuff, 
and worn at night or used to wrap the dead. Mark gave 
no tokens of his identity, but left every one free to exercise 

52 his own fancy, one guess being as useful as another. The 
young man was recognized as a friend of Jesus, and was 
seized ; but availing himself of a suitable opportunity he 
slipped from his loose robe, and made good his escape. The 
incident imparted a perpetual vividness to the narrative ; at 
the same time it indicated the intense feeling that swayed 
the public mind, and in some measure justified the disciples 
in their headlong effort to elude the mob by flight. 

53 In bonds Jesus was led out across the brook and along 
the narrow streets up to the house of Annas, who, as father- 
in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest, had much influence in 
the Sanhedrin. Hurriedly the court, composed of chief 
priests, elders, and scribes, was convened ; and Jesus was 

54 brought to trial. Recovering from a sense of panic and 
remembering his pledge to go to prison and to death, Peter 
followed afar off. His act was not an indication of stumb- 
ling, as so many sermons have suggested, but of recovery 

1 Isa. 53 : 12. 2 John 14 : 30. 

-13- 



194 MARK XIV: 54-59. 

sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light 
of the -fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council 
sought witness against Jesus to put him to death; and 
found it not. 56 For many bare false witness against him, 
and their witness agreed not together. 57 And there stood 
up certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 
We heard him say, I will destroy this 6 temple that is made 
with hands, and in three days I will build another made 
without hands. 59 And not even so did their witness agree 

5 Or, sanctuary. 

from stumbling. Following at all he was beating ten, or 
certainly nine, as only John did so well. Belated and be- 
hind he came up, and pressed into the palace, where he sat 
unnoticed for a season, interest being centered in Jesus. 
The night was chilly ; the nervous strain was great, and a 
charcoal fire burning in the court drew shivering strangers 
to its friendly glow. Peter sat with the officers of the 
court, a trembling spectator of all that passed. 

The mind of the court was already made up, but some 

55 respect for form was observed. Witnesses for the prosecu- 
tion were eagerly sought ; but being over zealous they testi- 

56 fied too much, and made their evil purposes too plain. They 
lied too glibly even for the enemies of the Lord, and set 
the case awry after all. The court desired to rush the 
case, lest the people rise up against the unjust judges, who 
themselves were the principal prosecutors, and were trying 
to prejudice the case. By the law which they were set to 
execute 1 they were bound to have at least two witnesses ; 
and those were difficult to find. It was a high compliment 
to the good conscience of the people in a corrupt and de- 

57 generate age. At last there came two witnesses, certifying 
that Jesus was guilty of speaking against the temple in 

58 saying : "I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, 
and in three days I will build another made without hands." 

59 2 The two did not quite agree in stating the case, but there 
was substantial agreement, which was quite sufficient even 
in the best of courts. 3 Jesus made some such remark ; but 
he did not make it in the sense in which it was used against 
him. Had he made the remark attributed to him, it would 
have proven his insanity, or his divinity ; and in either 
case it ought to have set him free. The perversion of the 
saying was as truly a falsehood, as if the testimony had 
been entirely baseless. 

1 Deut. 17 : 6 ; Deut. 19 : 15. 3 John 2 : 19. 

2 Mat. 26 : 61. 



MARK XIV: 59-63. 195 

together. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and 
asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it 
which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, 
and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, 
and saith unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the 
Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the 
Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming 
with the clouds of heaven. 63 And the high priest rent his 
clothes, and saith, What further need have we of witnesses? 



To such an accusation Jesus made no answer. The hos- 
tility of the court, the perversion of the truth, the lack of 
any semblance of justice, and the knowledge of what was 

60 to come made silence the best method of procedure. As if 
provoked by the calmness of Jesus the high priest arose, 
and with great solemnity stood before him, as he must again 
staud in the last day, and asked in vain for some reply to 
the foolish testimony that had been offered. Jesus answered 
nothing. Was there a moment of hesitation on the part of 

61 the examining officer? Standing before the bound prisoner 
he put a solemn oath : * "I adjure thee by the living God !" 
Did the silent majesty of Jesus trouble the heart of the 
high priest? He probably trembled, as he put the momen- 
tous question : "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the 
Blessed?" 

The appeal is not in vain. The question is direct and 
plain. It goes to the heart of things, and involves the 
issue of the ages. It is the question of the ancient Pharisee 
and all his modern successors, agnostic, rationalistic, scien- 
tific, whether Jew or Gentile. It deserves answer, clear, 
positive, unequivocal. And the answer is given. Not in 
the frenzy of helplessness, nor in resentment engendered by 
hostile flashings from many eyes, but in the serenity of 
conscious authority Jesus replies to the doubters of all time : 

62 "I am." According to the only records known to the race he 
distinctly claims to be the promised Messiah, and he further 
claims that, as such, he is the Son of the blessed God. The 
rationalist, whether of ancient or modern times, can never 
reconcile this utterance of Jesus, and he made it more than 
once, with the idea that he was a good man, but was less 
than the Christ, the Son of God. His ancient enemies admit 
that he made such a claim, and they convict him on his own 
evidence. 

63 The high priest rent his clothes. That was an ancient 

!Mat. 26: 63. 



196 MARK XIV: 64-68. 

64 Ye have heard the blasphemy : what think ye? And 
they all condemned him to be 6 worthy of death. 65 And 
some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to 
buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the officers 
received him with 7 blows of their hands. 

66 And as Peter was beneath in the court, there cometh 
one of the maids of the high priest; 67 and seeing Peter 
warming himself, she looked upon him, and saith, Thou 
also wast with the Nazarene, even Jesus. 68 But he denied, 

6 Gr. liable to. 7 Or, strokes of rods. 

method of expressing violent emotions. 1 So Reuben ex- 
pressed his grief for a lost brother, Jacob for a lost son, 
Job for the miseries that overtook him. So Jehoram de- 
plored the prospect of war with the king of Syria, Hezekiah 
the idea of subjection to Rabshakeh, and Paul and Barna- 
bas the offer of divine honors at Lystra. 2 In the case of the 
high priest the act was contrary to law, and was a cheap 
piece of stage play. The law, indeed, made blasphemy 
punishable by death, and, if untrue, the words, of Jesus 
were blasphemous ; but there was no effort to investigate 
the matter. Not a word of testimony for the defense was 
allowed. The judge assumed the quality of the Lord's claim ; 
judged it blasphemous, and appealed to the law against 

64 blasphemy. There was but one verdict possible : "They all 
condemned him to be worthy of death." 

A court of justice ought to be a place of dignity and 
decorum. It may well pause in reverent silence, before it 

65 passes sentence of death upon any living thing. Yet the 
council that decides the fate of the lowly Nazarene is 
swayed by passion ; judges leap to their feet, as they strug- 
gle one with another to reach the majestic prisoner, or spit 
upon him, and cover him with such insults as the world 
never forgives. 

As so brutal scenes were being enacted in the court room 
on the second floor, a different tragedy was passing in the 

66 room below. As Peter sat by the fire, tumultuous emotions 

stirring his soul, a maid of the high priest's household, 

67 peered into the hapless apostle's face, and said : "Thou also 
wast with the Nazarene !" It was a quiet observation, 
which contained no sort of threat. It was a true and harm- 
less remark ; but it threw Peter into a state of panic. 

68 At once he denied, and by his denial he convicted himself, 

1 Gen. 37 : 29, 34 ; Jot> 1 : 20 ; 2 Kings 5 : 7 ; 2 Kings 19 : 1 ; 
Acts 14 : 14. 

* Lev. 10 : 6 ; 21 : 10. 



MARK XIV : 68-72. 197 

saying, 8 1 neither know, nor understand what thou sayest : 
and he went out into the 9 porch ; * and the cock crew. 69 
And the maid saw hiin, and began again to say to them 
that stood by, This is one of them. 70 But he again denied 
it. And after a little while again they that stood by said 
to Peter, Of a truth thou art one of them ; for thou art a 
Galilaean. 71 But he began to curse, and to swear, I know 
not this man of whom ye speak. 72 And straightway the 
second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the 
word, how that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow 
twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 2 And when he thought 
thereon, he wept. 

8 Or, I neither know, nor understand: thou, what sayest thou? 
9 Gr. forecourt. 

1 Many ancient authorities omit and the cock crew. 

2 Or, And he began to weep. 

saying : "I neither know, nor understand what thou sayest ;" 
but he understood enough to leave the place. The sifting 
time was at hand. His action and manner confirmed the 
girl in her opinion, and following him out she spoke with 

69 more confidence : "This is one of them." There were several 

70 of his accusers, some jeering at his Galilean brogue, others 
recalling his presence in the garden, some saying one thing 
and some another, so making true the varying accounts of 
different writers ; but not one offering any violence, or mak- 
ing any threat. Before the raillery Peter not only denied 
his Lord, but, as if to disprove the charge that he belonged 

71 to Jesus, he began to curse and rage. Probably it was an 
old habit. Fisherfolk at Billingsgate gave to the language 
a new word, and naturally enough the provocation of the 
hour aroused in the heart of Simon the profanity of other 
days. 

72 A second time the cock crew. As Jesus passed through 
the court on the way to another trial, he turned and looked 
upon the fallen apostle. The look was sufficient rebuke. 
Peter realized his sin. He wept bitterly ; but tears did 
not expunge his guilt. Judas betrayed the Lord through 
avarice ; Peter denied through fear. Judas deliberated, 
and planned his deed ; Peter acted under a sudden impulse, 
and went contrary to the deeper feelings of his heart. Judas 
was willing to rob Jesus of life ; Peter was willing to with- 
draw friendship. Judas was possessed of Satan, who held 
him fast ; Peter was sifted of Satan, and left purer for the 
experience. Judas was smitten of remorse, and went on to 
suicide ; Peter was moved to repentance, and returned unto 
the Lord. 



198 MARK XV : 1. 

"t £* And straightway in the morning the chief priests 
A3 with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, 
held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, 

From the time of the arrest in the garden the whole night 
was spent in the illegal and farcical trial of Jesus. Those 
shrewd Jewish lawyers knew that all their proceedings 
were not only irregular, but subversive of fundamental 
principles of justice. They were determined to carry a 
point, rather than to do right ; and setting a base example 
for succeeding tricksters, they trampled law and justice 
under foot, rather than risk the thwarting of their wicked 
designs through the sober second thought of the people. 
While good men slept, they were pressing their nefarious 
1 schemes. As the day came on, other members of the San- 
hedrin were called into the meeting. Thus brought together 
the whole council approved and ratified what was already 
done. It was illegal to pronounce sentence of death on the 
day of trial ; but those wicked men were willing to disgrace 
the law which they pretended to enforce. 1 They took 
counsel against Jesus to put him to death ; but the Roman 
government wisely denied the mercurial and passionate 
Jews the right to execute sentence of death on any one. 
For that reason it was necessary for the case to be passed 
from the high priest to the Roman governor. Probably 2 the 
bonds placed upon Jesus in the garden were slackened, or 
there may have been some special binding that indicated 
condemnation ; at any rate, they bound him anew, and 
hurried him away to Pontius Pilate, the representative of 
imperial Rome. Mark omitted from his record various inci- 
dents connected with the occasion, 3 such as the remorse 
and suicide of Judas, the decision concerning the blood 
money, the dream of Pilate's wife and the message which 
it instigated, the effort of Pilate to cast off responsibility 
in the case, and other matters. 

The official residence of the Roman governor was at 
Caesarea ; but on account of disturbances likely to arise 
among the throngs in attendance upon the passover, it was 
important for him to be in Jerusalem. Aroused from his 
morning slumbers, Pilate was called into the judgment hall 
to meet some of his turbulent Jewish subjects, and the case 
seemed quite urgent. At the same time a procession emerged 
from the council chamber of the Sanhedrin. The chief 
priest was in the lead, in official robes other members of 
the council followed on, next came Jesus in chains, and 

1 Mat. 27 : 1 ; John 18 : 31. 

2 John 18 : 12. 

3 Mat. 27 : 3 ; Mat. 27 : 7 ; Mat. 27 : 19 ; Mat. 27 : 24. 



MARK XV: 1-4. 199 

and delivered him up to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, 
Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering saith 
unto him, Thou sayest. 3 And the chief priests accused him 
of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, saying, 

after him marched a squadron of soldiers in helmet and 
shield, bearing their uplifted spears. The gray of the early 
morning grew into a whiter light ; the city was waking to 
life and movement, and there was need of haste. On a hill 
not far away rose the royal palace built by Herod the 
Great, and from that date the seat of Roman authority in 
the city. In the chair of state, with scribes and soldiers of 
the guard around, Pilate sat awaiting the oncoming throngs. 
Through the gateway they swept, their ominous tread re- 
sounding on the still morning air ; * and Jesus stood before 
the governor. 

The opposition had already passed sentence, and they 
assumed that Pilate would simply endorse what they had 
done. They seemed to resent his request for the charges, 
and said : 2 "If this man were not an evildoer, we should 
not have delivered him up unto thee." Not finding the 
governor so pliant as they expected, 3 they preferred three 
charges, that of perverting the nation, forbidding to give 
tribute to Caesar, and claiming himself to be a King. The 
first was very indefinite, and the second distinctly untrue. 

2 Passing them both as too trivial to notice, Pilate went 
straight to the heart of the matter : "Art thou the king of 
the Jews?" On the lips of Pilate the question was intended 
to cover only the charge implied in the indictment, but not 
stated in so many words, that Jesus claimed to be a rival 
of Caesar. Though silent before the clamors of the mob, 
Jesus made respectful answer to the Roman governor : 
"Thou sayest." sayest the truth ; but he proceeded at once 
to explain that he was in no sense a rival of Caesar, but 
was aspiring to rule a kingdom not of this world. 

Pilate was entirely satisfied with the explanation. He 
was there to protect the interests of the empire ; he found 
those interests in nowise threatened, and to the Jews he 

3 announced his verdict : "I find no crime in him." Many 
other things, not considered worthy of record, were charged 
against him ; but he maintained a dignified silence. There 
was really no need to answer. Before the Sanhedrin he 
was convicted of blasphemy ; but before Pilate's court the 
accusers made other charges, and did not even mention the 

4 crime for which they had passed sentence of death ! When 
attention was called to the outcry against him, he still 

1 Mat. 27 : 11. 2 John 18 : 30. 3 Luke 23 : 2. 



200 MARK XV: 4r-9. 

Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they 
accuse thee of. 5 But Jesus no more answered, anything ; 
insomuch that Pilate marvelled. 

6 Now at 3 the feast he used to release unto them one 
prisoner, whom they asked of him. 7 And there was one 
called Barabbas, lying bound with them that had made 
insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed 
murder. 8 And the multitude went up and began to ask 
him to do as he was wont to do unto them. 9 And Pilate 

3 Or, a feast. 

5 made no reply. No wonder the governor marveled. It was 
a strange thing. A man of spotless character and untold 
resources, standing in the presence of undeserved and ig- 
nominious death, x yet dumb as a sheep before her shearers, 
and opening not his mouth ! 

There were other details of the trial, but Mark hastened 
on to the end. After finding Jesus guiltless, Pilate tried 
different expedients in an effort to appease the clamor of 
the Jews. 2 He sent him to Herod ; he proposed to chastise 
him to please his enemies, and release him to please his 
friends, a compromise policy pleasing neither to friend nor 
foe ; he tried to make the innocent man the beneficiary of 

6 custom, instead of the recipient of justice. There had grown 
up a custom, which had attained the force of law, requiring 
the release of some prisoner at every festival, the sense of 
liberty giving new joy to the occasion. Secular history left 
no records of the custom, but it was certainly in vogue in 
the time of Pilate. Among those who languished in durance 
vile, there was one of those heroic criminals, who always 
challenge the admiration of certain classes, and bring flowers 

7 from sentimental women. His name was Bar-Abbas, son 
of Abbas, or son of a father or teacher. Either through his 
family connections or by his own efforts he had attained 
some distinction, and his name was naturally in mind. 

8 Pressing up close to the judgment seat the people asked 
Pilate to observe the custom of honoring the feast by releas- 
ing a prisoner, the request suggesting the release of Jesus. 
As between the lowly Nazarene and one who was guilty of 
murder, it seemed that the first would have the preference. 

9 With that thought in mind Pilate said: "Will ye that I 
release unto you the king of the Jews?" There was a 
subtle appeal to national pride and hope in so designating 
Jesus. King of the Jews ! How every loyal Israelite longed 
for some John Hyrcanus or Judas Maccabaeus to lead on 

1 Isa. 53 : 7. 2 Luke 23 : 7, 16 ; John 18 : 39. 



MARK XV: 9-15. 201 

answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the 
King of the Jews? 10 For he perceived that for envy the 
chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests 
stirred up the multitude, that he should rather release 
Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate again 'answered and 
said unto them, What then shall I do unto him whom ye 
call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, 
Crucify him. 14 And Pilate said unto them, Why, what 
evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, Crucify 
him. 15 And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, re- 



the conquest, and bring freedom from a foreign yoke ! 

10 Driven by envy, however, the chief priests, using the au- 
thority of learning and position, persuaded the multitude 

11 to ask the release of Barabbas. Pilate made his appeal in 
vain. He was in authority. He knew Jesus was innocent 
of any crime against the government or the people. His 
duty was plain ; but he was weak. Like many a political 
trimmer, he was afraid to meet the responsibilities of his 
position, lest he should kindle a clamor against himself. 

12 Instead of directing his own course, as his position de- 
manded, he weakly appealed to the raging populace : "What 
then shall I do unto him whom ye call the King of the 

13 Jews?" The throngs raging before him, and filling the 
palace grounds with confusion were lost to all sense of na- 
tional honor, and immediately the answer came : "Crucify 
him !" It was a matter of changing places, the just going 
to death, and the unjust going free. Even in their madness 
the people were uttering a deep principle of the gospel of 
grace : 1 He died "the just for the unjust, that he might bring 
us to God." Barabbas, son of his father, escaped, because 
Jesus took his place. Unconsciously the crowd was teaching 

14 the doctrine of vicarious atonement. Pilate asked for the 
justice of the demand : "Why, what evil hath he done?" But 
there was no attempt at explanation ; only a more vociferous 
demand : "Crucify him !" It seemed the cry of passion, and 
so it was ; but deeper than all lay the eternal purposes of 
Jehovah, constraining the wrath of man to praise him, and 
through wrath working out his eternal purposes of grace. 
The cry was loud and long, illustrating 2 the groan and 
travail of nature yearning for relief, and blindly groping 
toward redemption. It asked that a sinless one die the 
death appointed for a sinner, while the sinner be allowed 
to go unscourged. It was the gospel enacted in small. 

15 Yielding to the demands of the crowd, Pilate released 
1 1 Pet. 3 : 18. 2 Rom. 8 : 22. 



202 MARK XV: 15-19. 

leased unto thein Barabbas, and delivered Jesus, when he 
had scourged him, to be crucified. 

16 And the soldiers led him away within the court, which 
is the i Praetorium ; and they call together the whole B band. 
17 And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown 
of thorns, they put it on him ; 18 and they began to salute 
him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote his head 
4 Or, palace. 5 Or, cohort. 

Barabbas, who for sedition and murder lay in prison ; he 
also scourged Jesus. For the scourging an upright stone 
post was prepared ; the victim was forced to embrace the 
post, his hands being tied so as to secure him. The scourge 
was made of leather or rawhide ; it was fastened to a stout 
handle of suitable length, and slit into several thongs, on 
which were strung bits of old iron, pieces of bone, dogs' 
teeth, or other hard substances, designed to tear the flesh 
at every stroke, like the famous cat used in the British 
army. By Jewish law the number of blows that might be 
inflicted was limited to thirty-nine ; but with the Romans 
there was no limit, except the whim of the officers who in- 
flicted the punishment. In many cases victims died under 
the ordeal ; but Jesus could not be killed before the time. 
Pilate was the officer to administer the scourging. Then he 
performed the dramatic, but abortive, act of washing his 
hands before the multitude, as if so simple a performance 
could in any wise wash away his accumulated guilt. No 
seas of water, however solemnly applied to the outward 
parts, were ever efficacious in cleansing away the sin of the 
soul. Then Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified. 

16 In the spacious palace there was a noble hall called the 
Praetorium, into which he was rushed with ribaldry and 
jeers. The soldiers were used to scenes of barbarity and 
blood. Camp life was monotonous enough, and any sort of 

17 diversion was welcomed. In mockery of his claim to be a 
king they clothed him in the robe that indicated royal rank ; 
instead of a crown, which indicated imperial authority, they 
placed on his head a crown of thorns ; to complete the 
scene, they placed between the fingers of his bound hands 

18 a dried reed, as a scepter of power ; and, as much in derision 
of the Jews as in mockery of him, they saluted him as King 

19 of the Jews. In all the history of savagery, as brutal and 
ignorant men have drawn out with long torture the agony 
of their victims, nothing ever surpassed that scene in the 
Roman Praetorium, when pagan soldiers, who neither feared 
God nor regarded man, bruised and bullied the submissive 
Pen of God. The record was written centuries ago, but it 



MARK XV: 19-21. 203 

with a reed, and spat upon him. and bowing their knees 
6 worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, 
they took off from him the purple, and put on him his gar- 
ments. And they lead him out to crucify him. 

21 And they 7 compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, 
coming from the country, the father of Alexander and 
Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross. 
6 See marginal note on ch. 5:6. 7 Gr. impress. 

still throbs with life ; and after the lapse of the years it 

20 makes one blush for the wickedness of his kind. Only 
their own exhaustion ended the scene, and they led him 
away to crucify him. 

Many incidents occurred on the way to Calvary, different 
writers making different records, as they were impressed by 
the Holy Spirit, and so giving different aspects of the case, 
enabling the student the better to reproduce the scene. Ac- 
cording to custom the cross was ready just outside the palace 
gate. It was heavy. Jesus was physically exhausted from 
lack of food, loss of sleep, and the sufferings so recently en- 
dured. He bore the cross, but only for a short distance. 
There was no solemnity in the proceedings. To the soldiers, 
who had the entire charge, they were a sort of swaggering 
comedy, rather than the supreme tragedy in the world's 
history. Just beyond the palace gate there lay a road, 
which led out by way of Bethany on down to Jericho and 
Jordan, the road over which Jesus last entered the city. 

21 As the party emerged from the palace grounds into the 
highway, a traveler was passing down the road. With the 
same reckless disregard for human rights shown in the 
entire transaction, the stranger was pressed into service to 
relieve the fainting Jesus of the burden of the cross. He 
was from Cyrene, in Africa. He was in Jerusalem on his 
own business ; but there was no safe way of escape from 
the mandatory order of the soldiers, who compelled him to 
bear the cross after Jesus. His name was Simon, and he was 
the father of Alexander and Rufus, the reference indicating 
that the sons were well known. In the letter to the * Romans, 
Paul mentioned Rufus as one chosen in the Lord, to whom 
he sent salutations ; but there is no way of identifying 
Paul's friend as the son of Simon. Beyond the reference 
in Mark, and parallel passages, nothing is known of Simon 
and his sons. The participation of Simon from Africa in 
the scenes of the crucifixion, along with men from other 
lands, gives the whole world as then known representation 
in the historic event. 

iRom. 16: 13. 



204 MARK XV: 22, 23. 

22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, 
being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23 And they offered 



22 Golgotha is an Aramaic term meaning roundness, as the 
result of a rolling process. Luke uses the Greek term 
kranion, from which comes direct the word cranium, the 
skull. The origin and meaning of the term are unknown, 
and speculations on the subject have not sufficient basis to 
make them worth repeating. In story and song mention is 
made of Calvary's mountain, but the conception is alto- 
gether fanciful. There is no Mount Calvary. The Scrip- 
tures give the only reliable information concerning the 
place of the crucifixion. 1 It was without the city, but not 
far away, and apparently near a highway leading into the 
country. 2 It was in or near a garden or orchard, as in 
such a place was the tomb in which his body was buried. 
Neither the place of crucifixion nor that of burial was ever 
mentioned in the Scriptures after the passing of the events 
themselves. No sanctity whatever was ever attached to 
either place by the early disciples or their immediate suc- 
cessors. For three hundred years after Christ no attempt 
whatever was made, so far as records show, to locate Gol- 
gotha, or to invest it with any sort of sanctity or interest. 
The pretense of pointing out those places in modern times 
is simply an appeal to curiosity and credulity for the sole 
purpose of extracting baksheesh from travelers who have 
money to waste on foolishness. 

On the western side of Jerusalem there is a rounded 
knoll, which in some respects answers to the description of 
Golgotha, as given in the sacred Word; but there is no cer- 
tainty in regard to the matter. Looked at from a certain 
angle the elevation, which is not very great, presents to a 
fertile imagination some marks of a skull; but the fact has 
no practical bearing on either temporal or spiritual life. 

Having arrived at the place of execution, the officers in 

23 charge offered him wine mingled with myrrh, the myrrh 
having a bitter taste, and justifying 3 Matthew's designation. 
It was not an effort to add to the pangs which he suffered, 
as previous barbarities naturally suggest. In that simple 
record was set the only touch of pity in the whole appalling 
scene. It was the administration of an anaesthetic, designed 
to deaden the pain. Crucifixion was the most barbarous 
mode of execution known to ancient times. In those fierce 
and savage days it was designed to send a shudder into the 

1 Heb. 13 : 12 ; John 19 : 20 ; Mark 15 : 21. 
2 . John 19: 42. 
» Mat. 27 : 34. 



MARK XV: 23-29. 205 

hiui wine mingled with myrrh : but he received it not. 24 
And they crucify him, and part his garments among them, 
casting lots upon them, what each should take. 25 And it 
was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 And the 
superscription of his accusation was written over, THE 
KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two 
robbers ; one on his right hand, and one on his left 8 . 29 

8 Many ancient authorities insert ver. 28 : And the scripture 
teas fulfilled, which saith. And he was reckoned with transgressors. 
See Lk. 22 : 37. 

souls of hardened men, and hold them back from crime, 
or else to end their wretched careers. 

Mark does not dwell on the physical horrors of cruci- 
fixion ; he simply states the fact : "They crucify him," and 

24 passes on to note some other matters. In such a case the 
spoils are part of the game. To the soldiers Jesus is only 
a criminal suffering the sentence of the law, while they are 
only agents of execution, and are in no wise responsible 
for what is taking place ; their conduct cannot be judged 
by modern standards of ethics. Like other actors in these 
startling scenes, 1 they know not what they do. 

25 It is the third hour, nine o'clock in the morning, when 
Jesus is nailed to the cross. There is unseemly haste, see- 

26 ing that it is the day of his trial and conviction. Accord- 
ing to custom a sign is put over his head, to identify him 
and to connect him with the crime for which he suffers. 
a In this case there is some discussion about the form the 
inscription ought to take. It is put in Hebrew, Greek and 
Latin, thus giving the mixed multitudes in attendance on 
the scene a better chance to know about the case. Mark 
records the Greek inscription, and makes no mention of 
the Hebrew and Latin, this being immaterial. 

27 Two robbers, 3 justly condemned, are crucified with him. 
It is a rational inference that they were comrades of Barab- 
bas, who might have been on the middle cross, if Jesus had 

28 not taken his place. In this is fulfilled the word of the 
prophet : 4 "He was numbered with transgressors." The two 
represent two classes of men, who are in the world today. 
Both at first alike indifferent to their doom, and also to the 
power of Jesus ; the one awakening to a knowledge of his 
wretched state, turning to Jesus, seeking and securing for- 
giveness, and passing on to Paradise, the other jeering and 
unconcerned to the last, rejecting the offices of Jesus, and 
dying without hope. 

i Luke 23 : 34. 3 Luke 23 : 41. 

' John 19 : 19-22. * Isa. 53 : 12 ; Luke 22 : 37. 



206 MARK XV: 29-32. 

And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, 
and saying, Ha ! thou that destroyest the 9 temple, and build- 
est it in three days, 30 save thyself, and come down from 
the cross. 31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking 
him among themselves with the scribes said, He saved 
others; x himself he cannot save. 32 Let the Christ, the 
King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may 
see and believe. And they that were crucified with him 
reproached him. 

•Or, sanctuary. x Or, can he not save himself? 

29 The passers-by include both those who are passing along 
the highway and the crowds on the ground as they surge 

30 past the cross. All are evidently inspired by the chief 
priests and scribes, who use their position of influence to 
urge on the jeering crowd, while they themselves keep more 
in the background. In their derision they unwittingly bear 

31 witness to the truth : "He saved others." Equally true is 
it : "Himself he cannot save," unless the purposes of his 
coming be abandoned and left undone. It is a dark hint that 
something is wrong in his past claims to power, if that 
power fails its possessor in the hour of his need. In their 
appalling malignity and sin they even dictate terms for their 

32 own faith : "Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come 
down from the cross ;" but they give no assurance that 
they will perform what they promise. It is something to 
come down from the cross, is it not quite as much to come 
up from the tomb? But Jesus makes no reply to their 
empty taunt. The future looms before him ; x and he en- 
dures the cross, despising the shame, that he may sit down 
at the right hand of God. It is the silence of perfect self- 
control in the presence of unbridled wantonness and scorn. 
Even convicted criminals may now visit upon him their 
deepest reproach, though later one of them relents, and 
prays : 2 "Jesus, remember me, when thou comest in thy 
kingdom." No bitter invective or stinging jibe is enough 
to make him speak ; but pity for the erring sons of men 
evokes the prayer : 3 "Father, forgive," and the penitent 
robber's appeal brings immediate response : "Today shalt 
thou be with me in Paradise." When has ever silence been 
again broken by such wonderful speech? In the hour of 
death he in nowise loses sight of the fact that he came to 
save. His prayer for his murderers relieves them of any 
uncommon guilt, while his promise to the robber opens the 
gates of bliss to the lowest of the race. 

i Heb. 12 : 2. 8 Luke 28 : 34, 

2 Luke 23 : 42, 43. 



MARK XV: 33-35. 207 

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was dark- 
ness over the whole 2 land until the ninth hour. 34 and at 
the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, 
lama sabachthani ? which is, being interpreted, 3 My God, 
my God, 4 why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of 
2 Or, earth. 8 Ps. 22: 1. * Or, why didst thou forsake mef 

33 At the sixth hour there came a deep darkness over the 
whole land, eph holen ten gen, the phrase meaning the land 
in which the event occurred or the whole earth. * Phlegon, 
a Greek writer who was born not long after the crucifixion, 
said: "In the fourth year of the two hundred and second 
Olympiad there was a great and extraordinary eclipse of 
the sun, distinguished among all that had happened before. 
At the sixth hour the day was turned into dark night, so 
that the stars in the heavens were seen ; and there was an 
earthquake in Bythinia, which overthrew many houses in 
Nice." Dionysius also bore similar testimony, saying that 
he witnessed the darkness in Heliopolis in Egypt, and was 
moved to exclaim : "Either the God of nature, the Creator, 
is suffering, or the universe is dissolving!" It was an ap- 
palling occurrence ; but it was not an eclipse, since the 
passover came at the time of full moon, an eclipse of the 
sun then being impossible. It was a miraculous display of 
nature's sympathy with her King. The darkness continued 
for three hours, causing a strange silence to fall over the 
whole scene, nothing being said or done which was worthy 

34 of a place in the sacred record. At the ninth hour the 
shadows passed, and Jesus spake again. Already the 
piercing of his hands and feet, the partition of his garments, 
the casting of lots for his coat, and the insulting words 
hurled at him suggested the twenty-second psalm ; then tak- 
ing up its opening words, Jesus cried : "My God, my God, 
why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew set the cry in the 
Aramaic tongue, while Mark gave it with a Syriac variation, 
substituting Eloi for Eli. It was a deep and fathomless 
appeal, whose inscrutable meaning no man can certainly 
bring forth in detail. It was the last step in the course of 
humiliation, as Jesus walked down, down, down into the 
abyss, where God gave him up and gave him over to the 
smiters. In that last expiring cry lay the secret ingredient 
which gave the atoning cup its poignant bitterness. It 
betoken the pang which shall at last pierce the sinner's 
soul, when he shall be forsaken of the Almighty, and left to 
his awful fate. 

35 Some of the multitude who were not familiar with the 

1 Quoted in McClintock and Strong. 



208 MARK XV: 35-38. 

them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he 
calleth Elijah. 36 And one ran, and filling a sponge full of 
vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, 
Let be ; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down. 

37 And Jesus uttered a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 

38 And the veil of the 5 temple was rent in two from the 
5 Or, sanctuary. 

language in which Jesus uttered the cry mistook the Eli, 

36 Eli, for the name of Elijah. Moved by the agony which the 
cry seem to express, one of the by-standers hastened to fill 
a sponge with a light sour wine, which was called posca, 
the term being here rendered vinegar, and with a reed, or 
hyssop stalk, he lifted it to Jesus' lips to relieve the pain. 
As he did so, he said to the agitated crowd surging around 
the cross : "Let be ; let us see whether Elijah cometh to 
take him down." Whatever impulses moved the crowd, he 
wanted nothing done until Elijah had time to appear on 
the scene. 

Usually the victim of the cross died by inches, and in the 
closing hours of his suffering was unable to speak ; but 

37 Jesus was an unusual sufferer. Again he uttered a loud 
cry. It was not a cry of rage or pain. It was not a curse 
upon his tormentors. It was a committal of his soul to God : 
1 "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." With that 
he laid down his life, that he might take it again. 

This death has been regarded as an argument against the 
divinity of Jesus. The primal conception of God is that 
he is immortal, invisible, abiding beyond the stroke of any 
disaster. He is conceived as an evanescent glory, a vast 
shadowy something, eluding the shrewdest search, and dis- 
closing no outline of his person. The rationalism of every 
age has repudiated the idea of a God touched with a feeling 
of human infirmity. With a touch of disdain it asks : "Do 
you suppose that God could know grief? that he could 
suffer indignities? that he could die?" Very good paganism, 
but very poor gospel ! The mystery of godliness is God 
manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of mes- 
sengers, preached among the nations, believed on in the 
world. He is touched with a feeling of human infirmities, 
that he may be a merciful and faithful high priest in things 
pertaining to God. He is made a little lower than the 
angels for the suffering of death, that he by the grace of 
God may taste death for every man. 

When Jesus died at Golgotha, a strange thing occurred in 

38 the city : "The veil of the temple was rent in twain." 2 The 

1 Luke 23 : 46. 2 Ex. 26 : 31. 



MARK XV: 38-41. 209 

top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood 
by over against him, saw that he 6 so gave up the ghost, 
he said, Truly this man was 7 the Son of God. 40 And there 
were also women beholding from afar: among whom were 
both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of 8 James the 
9 less and of Joses, and Salome; 41 who, when he was in 

6 Many ancient authorities read so cried out, and gave up the 
ghost. 

7 Or, a son of God. 8 Or, Jacob. 9 Gr. little. 

veil was a heavy piece of cloth, made of white linen striped 
across with woolen threads of purple, blue, and scarlet, and 
further adorned with figures of cherubim embroidered on 
both sides wtih golden thread. For generations that veil 
hung before the holy of holies, and beyond it common hu- 
manity was never permitted to pass. Once a year, at the 
hour of prayer, the high priest went into the most holy 
place, not without blood, to make atonement first for his 
own sins, and then for the sins of the people. It was a 
type of things to come : x "The Holy Spirit indicating this, 
that the way into the holiest of all hath not yet been dis- 
closed, so long as the first tabernacle hath its place." When 
the veil was rent in twain from top to bottom, the way into 
the holy place was open to all the priests of God. The 
rending indicated that there was no further need of a high 
priest taken from among men to deal with God on man's 
behalf; that the whole Jewish dispensation, with its rites 
and ceremonies, observances and non-observances, fasts and 
feasts, was done away in Christ Jesus, and that the way 
into the holiest, not made with hands, was opened for all 
who accepted the priesthood of Christ. 

39 The centurion was present, as the representative of law 
and order, to see that sentence against Jesus was duly 
executed. Officially he was not a judge in the case ; but, 
like every other human being, he was interested in the 
events that were transpiring. As a thoughtful man he 
was deeply impressed. By the incidents of the occasion he 
was convinced of the rare character of Jesus. 

40 Many women from distant provinces were in attendance 
upon the passover, and among them some of the devoted 
friends of Jesus. Mark mentioned some of them by name, 
and there were others. Differences in the records of different 
writers were quite in harmony with the facts, as some of 
them were afar off and some near, or were moving from 

41 place to place, as the tedious hours wore away. Those good 
women sprang from a long line of godly mothers, and their 
1 Heb. 9 : 8. 

—14- 



210 MARK XV : 41-46. 

Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him ; and many 
other women that came up with him unto Jerusalem. 

42 And when even was now come, because it was the 
Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 there 
came Joseph of Arimathsea, a councillor of honorable estate, 
who also himself was looking for the kingdom of God; and 
he boldly went in unto Pilate, and asked for the body of 
Jesus. 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: 
and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether 
he x had been any while dead. 45 And when he learned it 
of the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And 
1 Many ancient authorities read were already dead. 

daughters in every age have been among the warmest friends 
of Jesus. 

42 It was the day of preparation for the sabbath, but not 
the regular hebdomadal sabbath. * It was one of the special 
sabbaths of the Levitical law, and was 2 a high day. 

Arimathea was a city usually identified as the Ramah of 
the Old Testament, which lay in the territory of Benjamin 
in the mountains of Ephraim southward from Jerusalem. 

43 It was the place of Joseph, an honorable member of the 
Sanhedrin, who did not vote for the condemnation of Jesus, 
but in his heart accepted him as the promised Messiah. He 
boldly went to Pilate, and it required boldness to do such 
a thing. He presumed on his position and wealth, and his 
presumption was justified by succeeding events. He asked 
for the body of Jesus. The danger to a poor and obscure 

44 person would have been greater. Pilate marveled that he 
were already dead, in as much as the victims of the cross 

45 often lingered much longer. After learning from the cen- 
turion that Jesus was really dead, Pilate gave orders for 
the body to be delivered to Joseph. Nicodemus also had 
something to do with the embalming of the body. 

As a man of means Joseph was able to make the burial 

46 somewhat in keeping with his own ideas. He purchased 
fine linen, such as was customary in shrouds for the rich. 
The tomb was already prepared. Designated by the term 
mneneion it was in all probability a sort of family monu- 
ment. That Joseph was willing to lay the body of Jesus 
there indicated a conviction that he would not remain in 
the tomb. With his own hands he took the body down from 
the cross, wrapped it in the sindon, and laid it in the grave. 
He closed the sepulchre with a great stone, which was pre- 
pared for the place. Thus it came to pass, that Jesus, who 

1 Lev. 23 : 24, 27, 34. 2 John 19 : 31. 



MAKK XT: 46. 47— XYI : 1. 211 

be bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him 
in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been 
hewn out of a rock; and he rolled a stone against the door 
of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother 
of Joses beheld where he was laid. 



16 



And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, 
and Mary the mother of s James, and Salome, bought 



s Or. Jacob. 



died with the wicked, made his grave with the rich, accord- 
47 ing to the word of the Lord. The little band of mourners, 
including two faithful women, turned from the scene. A 
holy memory, like fragrant odors from his body, was all 
that remained. Taken by wicked hands, crucified, slain, 
dead, buried ! The stone sealed, and the watch set ! Dark- 
ness settled over the scene. 

The death of Jesus marked the supreme event in the 
world's history? inviting the attention of every intelligent 
being, and evoking admiration or pity according to the 
meaning given thereto. While it was a momentary triumph 
for his foes, it was a distinct shock for his friends. In the 
older Scriptures it was vaguely suggested, but it was not 
definitely declared. ' Isaiah spoke of one coming from Eclom 
with dyed garments from Bozrah, but the dye on his gar- 
ments was not the blood of the rider ; rather was it that 
of his enemies, whom he had trampled under foot. The 
man of sorrows, who was acquainted with grief, bruised and 
wounded, smitten of God and afflicted, was set forth to bear 
the sins of many, and it was said that he made his grave 
with the wicked in his death ; but the description did not 
identify the victim, and 2 so devout a man as Candace's 
treasurer did not know whether the prophet spoke of him- 
self or some other man. In the opening records of the New 
Testament the coming of Jesus was announced with songs 
of gladness and assurances of salvation ; his lineage was 
traced to kings, and his deeds and doctrines were recounted 
with care, but the certainty of his death as a part of the 
divine plan was held in abeyance, and mentioned at last 
with extreme caution. When it was first declared, 3 loyal 
disciples offered an earnest protest. They understood not 
* the obligation which bound him to suffer, that he might 
enter into his glory, and that repentance and remission of 

1 Isa. 63 : 1. 3 Mat. 16 : 22. 

2 Acts 8 : 34. * Luke 24 : 25, 26. 



212 MARK XVI : 1-3. 

spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very 
early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb 
when the sun was risen. 3 And they were saying among 
themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door 

sins might be preached in all the world. They were drawn 
to him by an inscrutable charm, and in the strength of 
their devotion they were willing to go with him to prison 
and to death ; but they did not know the secret of his power. 
They accepted him as a Teacher sent from God ; but they 
knew him not as God manifest in the flesh. To them the 
sign of Jonah three days and three nights in the whale's 
body gave no token of the Son of man three days and three 
nights in the bowels of the earth, and only afterward did 
the theme become luminous. When the first steps of the 
culminating tragedy began, they were flung into consterna- 
tion, x and they all forsook him, and fled. When yielding up 
the ghost he cried with a loud voice, their answering cry 
was the voice of despair. When he was laid in the tomb, 
they also buried their hopes. 2 They trusted that this was 
he that should redeem Israel. Alas, that the trust was a 
thing of the past ! There remained only a holy memory, like 
the odor of flowers about a corpse. Jesus was dead, and 
hidden in the grave ; the stone sealed, and the watch set. 
First night, first day ; second night, second day ; third night, 
women with sweet spices going early in the morning, while 
it was yet dark, to honor a dead friend and embalm a dead 
hope. Moonlight fading before the dawn of the oncoming 
third day dropped flickering shadows of spring foliage on 

1 their path, and joyful birds began their morning songs. The 

2 sabbath was passed: It was the first day of the week, 
3 thenceforth to be known as the Lord's day. 4 Suddenly 
there was a tremor in the earth beneath ; a flash in the 
heavens above, and all nature was awake. By divine power 
the dead Jesus came forth, 5 having loosed the chains and 
pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be 
holden in its grip. 

The three women had seen the efforts of Joseph and 
Nicodemus and others to place the stone at the mouth of 

3 the sepulchre. Their frail hands were strong enough to 
bear the burden of sweet spices to embalm anew the form 
of love, but not strong enough to roll back the stone, that 
they might have access to the tomb. In the strange be- 
wilderment of the time they had not thought of the matter 
before. Lifting their eyes, as they approached the tomb, 

1 Mat. 26 : 56. 3 Rev. 1 : 10. 5 Acts 2 : 24. 

2 Luke 24 : 21. * Mat. 28 : 2. 



MARK XVI: 3-6. 213 

of the tomb? 4 and looking up, they see that the stone is 
rolled back: for it was exceeding great. 5 And entering 
into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right 
side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 
And he saith unto them, Be not amazed : ye seek Jesus, the 
Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not 

4 they saw the first token of the resurrection : the stone was 

5 rolled away, great as it was. Something had occurred. In 
deep agitation they drew near, and pressed into the sepul- 
chre, for it was a cave large enough for them to enter. In- 
stead of a corpse wrapped in clean linen they saw a form 
as of a young man sitting to one side in the tomb. He was 
arrayed in white, and x his countenance was like lightning 
Hashing in splendor and giving evidence of his identity as 
an angel of God. Naturally the women were amazed and 
frightened ; they were also disappointed, for they were there 
to embalm the body of the Lord. The heavenly messenger 

6 was the first to speak : "Be not amazed." It was a word of 
reassurance designed to calm their minds, and prepare them 
for the wonderful truth about to be declared. As a further 
preparation he disclosed his knowledge of their thoughts : 
"Ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified." In a 
spirit of exultation he questioned : 2 "Why seek ye the living 
among the dead?" O wonderful truth: "He is risen! He 
is not here !" The latter truth was confirmed by the evi- 
dence of their own eyes, as they saw the place where the 
Lord had lain. 

As recited by the angel it is a simple story, but it is made 
the central fact of the Christian system and the basis of 
personal salvation : 3 "If Christ hath not been raised, then 
is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain." Without 
the resurrection of Jesus there is no relief from sin, the 
gospel story is a wretched lie, Christian hope dies with a 
dying world, and the millions that have dropped into the 
arms of death have utterly perished. But now is Jesus 
risen from the dead. Every phase of doubt has been urged 
in opposition to the truth, and each in turn has been dis- 
carded by its own advocates. The radical scepticism which 
denies the possibility of a resurrection with the next breath 
owns its inability to explain the records or to account for 
the mighty influences that have proceeded from the empty 
tomb, confounding Greek philosophy, conquering Jewish 
prejudices, crushing Roman castes, instigating a new form 
of divine faith and worship, and softening the whole round 
of social intercourse. Unseen by mortal eyes Jesus is 

1 Mat. 28 : 3. 2 Luke 24 : 5. 8 1 Cor. 15 : 14, 17, 118. 



214 MARK XVI : 6, 7. 

here : behold, the place where they laid him ! 7 But go, 
tell his disciples and Peter, He goeth before you into Galilee : 

abroad in the world today as he never was in the days of 
his flesh ; and the only rational explanation is that he arose 
from the dead according to the Scriptures. By all the laws 
of evidence his resurrection is probably the best attested 
fact in ancient history, and the record is sustained by sub- 
sequent events. All round the world men of high intelli- 
gence and sober judgment have pondered the problem in all 
its bearings, and are confident that Jesus was raised from 
the dead. 

His resurrection is a demonstration of his divinity and of 
his power to save. It lifts him out of the domain of ancient 
history, and sets him among the vital forces of the living 
present. He is not simply a gifted rabbi, who was cut 
down by violent and untimely death ; he is the Christ, the 
Son of the living God, now present and demanding the 
homage of every heart. 1 Delivered by the determinate 
counsel and foreknowledge of God he has been crucified 
and slain ; by the power of the same God he has been raised 
up, and shown openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses 
chosen before, that they might see him, hear him, handle 
him, and out of the fullness of conviction might bear wit- 
ness that this is he that is ordained of God to be the Judge 
of quick and dead. It is a truth too vast to be thrust 
suddenly upon the mind. 2 It is gradually disclosed in the 
broken seal and the removed stone, in the empty tomb and 
the orderly array of grave clothes, in the portents in nature 
and the testimony of the angels, in the veiled presence of 
Jesus and the growing rumors of a resurrection, and finally 
in the open manifestation and the infallible proofs. 

The devoted women are made the first messengers of the 
7 gospel of a raised Christ : "Go tell his disciples, kai Peter." 
The need of specifying Peter arises from the fact that he 
has denied his relation to the Lord ; and whatever the state 
of his heart, his denial has cast a shadow upon his disciple- 
ship. The angel knows, but the women do not. Unworthy 
though Peter is, he is still a disciple ; and the angel's words 
do not imply that he belongs to a different class : "Tell the 
disciples, even Peter," who has denied his place among the 
disciples. 

Asserting the truth of the resurrection and instructing 
the women to make it known, the angel prepares to estab- 
lish the truth by physical evidence : "He goeth before you 
into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you," 

1 Acts 2 : 23, 24 ; Acts 10 : 40, 41. 

2 John 20 : 1 ; Luke 24 : 3 ; Mat. 28 : 2 ; Luke 24 : 16 ; Acts 1: 3. 



MARK XVI: 7-9. 215 

there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they 
went out, and fled from the tomb ; for trembling and aston- 
ishment had come upon them : and they said nothing to any 
one; for they were afraid. 

9 2 Now when he was risen early on the first day of the 
week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he 

7 The two oldest Greek manuscripts, and some other authori- 
ties, omit from ver. 9 to the end. Some other authorities have a 
different ending to the Gospel. 

the resurrection bringing also the proof of his prophetic 
power. 

Naturally the women were greatly agitated. In all the 
annals of time no other band of women ever had such an 
experience. To speak face to face with an angel of God, 
to hear such tidings as they heard, to receive such a com- 

8 mission as they received ! No wonder they fled from the 
place with * joy and fear ! They had no commission to tell 
the news generally ; probably they were dumb with amaze- 
ment, but later they found their breath and their speech, 
2 and astonished the disciples with the story which they told. 

As the others went to bear the news, Mary Magdalene 
lingered in the garden. Penitence and gratitude held her to 
the spot, as she yearned for a sight of the risen Lord. She 

9 did not wait in vain. Turning back to the tomb she peered 
into its hollow depths, and 3 saw two angels guarding the 
place, only one being seen at the first vision. She was 
absorbed in her search for the missing Jesus, and the pity- 
ing words of the angels only evoked the sorrowful cry : 
4 "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where 
they have laid him." Absorbed in grief and disappointment, 
she looked back over her shoulder, as she stooped before the 
tomb, and was the first to see him after he arose from the 
dead, but she knew him not. His first utterance trembled 
with compassion, as he said: "Woman, why weepest thou?" 
She mistook him for the gardener, and in the eager hope 
that he could explain the empty tomb she made the appeal : 
"Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast 
laid him." Jesus pronounced her name. There came a rush 
of holy memories, a flash of recognition ; and in tones of 
deepest reverence she exclaimed : "Rabboni, Master mine !" 
What a moment it was, as the mighty truth dawned upon 
her vibrant soul ! She was impelled to cling to him in that 
sort of fond embrace which would never let him go ; but he 
restrained her tumultuous feelings, and bade her not cling 

1 Mat. 28 : 8. 3 John 20 : 12. 

2 Luke 24 : 23. i John 20 : 13. 



216 MARK XVI : 9-13. 

had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told them 
that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 
And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had 
been seen of her, disbelieved. 

12 And after these things he was manifested in another 
form unto two of them, as they walked, on their way into 
the country. 13 And they went away and told it unto the 
rest: neither believed they them. 

to him, but rather go to the brethren, and make known the 
glorious news. Struck with awe, she hastened in the way 

10 of obedience. She went and told them, as they mourned 
and wept. * Other women also confirmed the truth, but the 

11 news seemed too good to be true ; they believed not, their 
unbelief making a stronger ground for subsequent faith, as 
the notable facts in the case became known. 

Special mention was made of Peter, as messengers were 
sent to declare the resurrection ; but the case was special, 
2 and Jesus himself appeared to Simon next. The bare fact 
was recorded, but no details were mentioned. 

To Mary Jesus appeared in a form that might not be 

12 touched ; in another form he appeared to two of them, as 
they walked, and went into the country. They were not 
apostles, 3 for they found the eleven rejoicing in the truth, 
when they returned from Emmaus. Matthew and John left 
no record of the event. In the graphic account given by 
Luke 4 one of them was incidentally mentioned as bearing 
the name Cleopas, and if contemporaneous literature made 
any other reference to him, it was in the story that his 
wife was among those who followed Jesus from Galilee, and 
ministered unto him of their substance ; the other was left 
nameless evermore. That conversation with the two was 
the longest period of converse between Jesus and any of his 
disciples after he arose from the dead. It occupied a good 
part of the afternoon of the first day of resurrected life, 
and presented a strange mingling of the human and the 
divine. Beginning at Moses he expounded in all the Scrip- 
tures the things concerning himself. Henry Ward Beecher 
said: "I would rather take that walk with Jesus from 
Genesis down to Malachi than to take any other walk, ex- 
cept that from my grave to the New Jerusalem." The eyes 
of the two were holden, but their hearts responded to the 
truth, 5 and it burned within them. Impelled by the deep 

13 conviction which had entered into their own souls, the two 

i Luke 24: 10, 11. 4 Luke 24 : 18 : John 19 : 25. 

2 Duke 24 : 34 ; 1 Cor. 15 : 5. 5 Luke 24 : 32. 

3 Luke 24 : 33, 34. 



MARK XVI: 14. 217 

14 And afterward be was manifested unto the eleven 
themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them 
with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they 



returned to Jerusalem, and related the strange experience 
that had come to them. Again the story seemed too' good to 
be true ; not all, but some believed not. It was a time of 
uncertainty. Stranger things than the world had ever be- 
fore known were coming to pass, and time was required for 
the human mind to adjust itself to the new truth. The 
resurrection of Jesus, so familiar to the Christian mind, 
was a new thing under the sun, and his best friends, best 
instructed in the things destined to' come to pass, were slow 
of heart to believe. One of them went so far as to say : 
1 "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and 
put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my 
hand into his side, I will not believe." After forty days in 
which he showed himself alive by many infallible proofs, 
manifesting his presence in divers ways and speaking things 
concerning the kingdom of God, 2 though swayed by his 
authority and drawn to worship at his feet, some doubted. 
His first appearances were made to individuals without 
14 regard to official position. In due time he appeared to the 
eleven themselves, the emphasis put on the pronoun indi- 
cating the apostolic band, 3 though only ten were present. 
He upbraided them, using oneidizo, the very term with which 
he himself had been reviled by the malefactors on the cross. 
Previous months had been devoted to preparing them for 
the things that had come to pass, and yet they were unpre- 
pared. Claiming to love him, assembling in his name, rever- 
ing his memory and weeping over his loss, they yet failed to 
get the full meaning of his teachings, and refused to believe 
the testimony of those who had seen him after he arose from 
the dead. In the emergency, when faith was demanded, 
they weakly discarded all the instruction they had received, 
repudiated their avowed confidence in the Lord, and fell 
back on the testimony of the senses : "Except I see, I will 
not believe." 

Not immediately, as might be inferred, but after some 
days Jesus came in bodily form for the last time to speak 
with his disciples. Nine times he had shown himself to 
chosen witnesses, appearing in tangible form and speaking 
in audible tones. The body in which he appeared was not 
the common clay which forms the tabernacle of man ; it 
was 4 the spiritual body in which are sown no seeds of death, 

1 John 20 : 25. 3 John 20 : 24. 

2 Mat. 28 : 17. * 1 Cor. 15 : 44. 



218 MARK XVI : 14-16. 

believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. 
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and 
preach the 3 gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that be- 
3 See marginal note on c. 1 : 1. 

and it was not subject to the physical laws which grip the 
bodies of men. It was assumed for purposes of demonstra- 
tion ; * its movements were not hindered by closed doors, and 
it could be made invisible at the Master's will. The time 
drew near, when the Christ of the senses was destined to 
pass into the Christ of saving faith ; and it was necessary 
for him to unfold the plan of his kingdom. 2 It was ex-. 
pedient for him to go away, lest his physical presence should 
hinder the spiritual vision of his people, and rob them of 
comfort in the Holy Ghost ; but his work was to be con- 
tinued in the world. As disciples had trusted him with the 
supreme interests of their immortal souls, he in turn trusted 
them with the interests of his kingdom on earth. 3 Endued 
with all authority, the empty tomb beneath his feet and the 

15 open heavens above his head, he said : "Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation." He 
was not shirking a task, or unloading a burden ; he was 
conferring a distinction, and sharing an honor. 4 The Son 
of God, walking the earth in human form, seen of men and 
angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, 
was received up into glory, that his people might have 
opportunity of setting him forth in their own lives and of 
sharing the distinction of redeeming the race. Whatever 
the honor attending his ministry, he resigned it in favor of 
his people, and for their sakes he departed out of the world, 
sending them even as the Father had sent him. As he was 
held in the grip of an endless obligation, so also he gripped 
his disciples, and sent them forth to bear the tidings of life 
and salvation to all the world. 

It was a vast undertaking, and it was sustained by a 

16 wonderful promise : "He that believeth and is baptized shall 
be saved." The Greek expression, ho pisteusas kai baptis- 
theis, two aorist participles connected by a conjunction, 
couples the act of believing and the act of getting baptized 
as closely as the language is capable of doing. Literally 
it is the one who has believed and gotten baptized of whom 
it is said : "He shall be saved." 5 Baptism marked the open- 

1 John 20 : 19, 26 ; Luke 24 : 31. 

2 John 16 : 7. 

3 Mat. 28 : 18. 

4 1 Tim. 3:16. 

5 Mat. 3 : 5, 6 ; 1 Pet. 3 : 21. 



MARK XVI : 16-18. 219 

lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbe- 
lieveth shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall ac- 
company them that believe : in my name shall they cast out 
demons ; they shall speak with 4 new tongues ; 18 they shall 
* Some ancient authorities omit new. 

ing of the new dispensation, the herald thereof being called 
the baptizer. It was closely connected with salvation, not 
as an instrumentality, but as a token. Though sinless in 
nature and life Jesus himself was baptized. 1 Thus it be- 
came him to fulfill every righteous act, marking by example, 
as well as enjoining by precept, the duty of every believer. 
He gave the commandment, and he said : 2 "He that loveth 
me not keepeth not my sayings." In the light of this utter- 
ance the man who keepeth not the saying to be baptized 
aligneth himself with those who love not the Lord. Like 
every other Christian obligation, the duty of baptism rests 
with the individual rather than with any official or func- 
tionary. It is the act of the willing believer, and is in 
nowise invalidated by the character of the baptizer. Faith 
is the starting point in Christian life, but faith impels 
obedience. 

The truth is emphasized by the adversative clause : "But 
he that disbelieveth shall be condemned." The word damned, 
found in the common version, is an ecclesiastical term, which 
has no proper place in the Scriptures, or anywhere else 
except in the vocabulary of profanity. Disbelieving is 
simply the negation of believing. It signifies a state of 
not having come into faith. A soul in such a state is left 
without hope and without God in the world, and is doomed 
to drop at last into the blackness of darkness forever. 

With the assurance of salvation to the obedient believer, 
the assumption being that the real believer is elect unto obedi- 

17 ence, there is given also a further promise : "These signs 
shall follow," the word for signs being that which is fre- 
quently translated by the word miracles. This utterance is 
mentioned by the critics as one of the reasons for repudiat- 
ing the entire passage, but it is no more than is said in 
John 14 : 12 : "He that believeth on me, the works that I 
do shall he do also ; and greater works than these, because I 
go unto the Father." Such signs were needful for an igno- 
rant and sceptical age, and they followed according to the 

18 word that was spoken. 3 Demons were cast out. 4 Tongues 



ijtfat. 3: 15; 1 Pet. 2: 2 


1. 


2 John 14 : 24. 




3 Acts 8:7; Acts 16 : 18 ; 


Acts 19 : 15, 16 


4 Acts 2:4: Acts 10 : 46 ; 


1 Cor. 12 : 10. 



220 MARK XVI: 18-20. 

take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it 
shall in no wise hurt them ; they shall lay hands on the sick, 
and they shall recover. 

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, 
was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right 
hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every- 

were imparted. 1 The poison of serpents was overcome. 
2 The sick were healed. Whatever was needed to certify 
the truth of the gospel was supplied. The only thing 
peculiar in the promised signs was the reference to serpents 
and poison, which was no greater tax on divine power than 
any other wonderful work. 

Mark omitted incidents mentioned by other writers, 3 while 
none of them related everything. He passed over an interval 
of several days, and came to the ascension, which he briefly 

19 recorded : "The Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, 
was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right 
hand of God." It was the seat of honor, and was given in 
harmony with L the psalmist's words. It formed a fitting 
close for a career of strenuous service. Yet his position 
there was not a place of idleness. Sitting on the throne he 
was appointed to exercise perpetual authority, 5 being head 
over all things to the church, his body, the fullness of him 
that filleth all in all. Having humbled himself even to 
ignominious death he was highly exalted, and given a name 
above every name, that before him every knee should bow, 
and that unto him every tongue should confess. Exercising 
authority he was also appointed to make intercession for 
his people. 

20 Impelled by all authority in heaven and earth the dis- 
ciples went forth and preached the word everywhere. The 
progress of the gospel in those early days was something 
marvelous. Against it power lifted her arm and govern- 
ment issued her edicts, prejudice built her walls and enmity 
hurled her darts, philosophy uttered her protest and science 
directed her scorn ; and yet the Lord worked with his people, 
and gave them the victory. Their activity was his activity, 
and their weakness was his strength. 6 In a few brief years 
the new faith was spoken of throughout the whole world. 

lActs 28: 5. 

2 Acts 3:7; Acts 5 : 15; Acts 9 : 34 ; Acts 14 : 10. 

3 John 21 : 25. 

* Psa. 24 : 7, 8 ; Psa. 110 ; 1. 

5 Epb. 1 : 23. 

6 Rom. 1 : 8. 



MARK XVI : 20. 221 

where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the 
word by the signs that followed. Amen. 

Jesus is still working with his people through the agencies 
appointed by the Holy Ghost, and signs of his presence are 
still following, as men redeemed and saved turn from their 
idols to serve the living God. Amen, the solemn conclusion 
of the inspired record. In a spirit of prayer it means : "Be 
it so ;" at the same time it is a formal seal of the foregoing 
record. Amen, and amen. 



INDEX. 



PAGE. 

Abiathar 40 

Abomination of desolation.. 169 

Adverse winds 91 

Afflicted father 120 

After-meeting 67 

Agnostics answered 195 

Aid acknowledged 4 

Ailing woman 74 

Aim of this book 3 

Ambition 124, 138 

Analysis of Mark's Gospel . . 16 

Ancient doctors 74 

Andrew 26, 30, 48 

Angels 173, 213 

Anger of Jesus 44 

Apologies 11 

Apostles 46, 47 

Arimathea 210 

Attitude of Jesus toward 

miracles 30, 33, 78, 104 

Authenticity of the Scrip- 
tures 8 

Authority 32, 150 

Avarice rebuked 179 

Baptism 19, 22, 219 

Baptisma 20 

Baptism in holy spirit 21 

Baptizo 19, 94 

Barabbas 200 

Barnabas 8 

Bartholomew 49 

Bartimseus 140 

Baskets 104 

Bearing the cross 112 

Beasts 23 

Beaten disciples 121, 123 

Beelzebub 51 

Beginning 17 

Believing 26 

Bethany 178 

Between Testaments 5 

Bethphage 142 

Bethsaida 90, 106 

Bible divided 115 

Birds 66 

Blasphemy 35 

Bread for many 89 

Csesarea Philippi 105, 107 

Oall to preach 27 

Camp life 202 

Canon of Scripture 8 

Capernaum 33 

Cares of the world 61 

Carpenter 81 

Children 132 



PAGE. 

Christian's day 212 

Clean and unclean 97 

Closing verses of Mark 15 

Cloud a symbol 118 

Comfort 133 

Coming man 5 

Commentaries 3 

Communion 183 

Communion wine 184 

Confession 76, 122 

Cross 112 

Crucifixion 203, 204 

Crucifixion day 142 

Dalmanutha 104 

Dancing women 86 

Darkened sun 207 

Deacons 124 

Deafness healed 100 

Decapolis 73 

Deceitf ulness of riches ... 61, 62 

Defilement 96 

Demoniac of Gadara 69 

Demons 28, 31, 46 70 

Denarius 156 

Denying Jesus 197 

Devil 23, 53 

Difficulties 89 

Dipping before dinner 93 

Discipleship 112 

Disobedience 33, 187 

Divergencies . . 12, 68, 71, 74, 

103, 197, 203 

Divisions 51 

Divorce 130 

Doctrine of hell 127 

Dogs 99 

Doing nothing 43 

Dowie 171 

Dumbness 100, 121 

Eating 93 

Eddy 171 

Elijah 109, 117 

Ephphatha 101 

Equipment of apostles 83 

Eucharisteo 103 

Exaltation 139 

Explicative Icai 99 

Ezra 28 

Faith, . . 35, 76, 92, 100, 141, 148 

Pasting 38, 39 

Pear 68 

Feeding multitudes 89, 102 

Fig tree withered 145, 147 

First commandment 159 



INDEX. 



228 



PAGE. 

Following Jesus 27, 37 

Forbidding others 125 

Forgiveness 35, 52, 150 

Friday meat 45 

Fringes 75 

Gehenna 128 

Generation 174 

Gennessaret 92 

Gentiles 137 

Gethsemane 187 

Ghost 91 

Gibbon 67 

Giving and getting 90, 103 

Golgotha 204 

Good soil 62 

Gospel 17 

Grace before meals 103 

Great commission 218 

Growth 66 

Hades 127 

Healing touch 132 

Hearers 60, 62 

Hearing 63 

Heavenly recognition 118 

Hell 127 

Herod 45, 87 

Herodians 44 

High places 13S 

Hiflel 130 

Hindering 51, 126 

Hogs 72 

Holy Ghost 52, 167 

Hosannas 144 

House divided 51 

House of prayer 147 

Hugo 133 

Immortality 118, 159 

Ingratitude 152 

Jairus 74 

James 48, 49 

Jericho 140 

John 18, 48, 108, 120 

Joy 144 

Judas 50, 180, 183, 194, 197 

Jude 50 

Keeping commandments . . . 134 
Kingdom of God. .24, 64, 66, 161 

Kiss 191 

Last put first 137 

Law of forgiveness 150 

Leaven 105 

Leaving all 136 

Legion 70 

Leper 32 

Levi 36 

Liberty 59 

Little children 132 



Linen cloth 
Lord's day 
Lust 



PAGE. 

193, 210 
.42, 212 
62 



Magical touch 75 

Mark 8, 9 

Mark's Gospel 11 

Mary 8, 54, 178 

Matthew 36, 49 

Mighty works 81 

Miracles 29 

Mission of the twelve 82 

Missions 218 

Moses and Elijah 117 

Mount of transfiguration... 116 

Mystery 57 

Near the kingdom 161 

Necessary for Jesus to suffer 111 

Night 79 

No religion in clothes 96 

Nursing children 125 

Obedience 113 

Only Jesus 119 

Orderliness 90 



Palm Sunday 


144 


Parables 51, 56, 59, 


65 


Paralytic healed 


34 


Paul and Mark 


10 


Peter.. 9, 47, 109, 111, 118, 




187. 


19R 


Pharisees 37, 40, 


45 


Philip 


49 


Physical wants 


79 


Physicians of old 


74 


Poor, the 


179 


Poor widow 


163 


Possessed of demons 


71 


Posture in prayer 


149 


Power 82, 


HH 


Prayer 31, 91, 149 


188 


Preaching of Jesus 


24 


Promise not binding 


87 




36 


Purging the temple 


146 


Puzzled disciples 


137 



Quibblers 104, 151 

Rank in the kingdom. . .138, 139 

Reaping what is sown 64 

Rebuking avarice 179 

Rejected stone 154 

Rejecting tradition 94 

Remission of sins 185 

Renan 8 

Repent 25, 84 

Repentance 20, 26 

Resurrection 119, 213 

Rhantisontai 93 

Riches 135 

Rich young man 134 



INDEX. 



PAGE. 

Robbers, the 205 

Rock, the 110 

Sabbath 40, 41, 42, 142, 177 

Sadducees 157 

Salt 128 

Satan 23, 51, 52 

Scourging 202 

Scribes 27, 35, 162 

Scrivener's text 3 

Second coming ....115, 176, 177 

Second commandment 160 

Secrecy gained 107 

Seeding 65 

Self-denial 112 

Separation of church and 

state 157 

Sergius Paulus 10 

Shakespeare 69 

Shallow people 61 

Shame 114 

Shammai 130 

Sheol 128 

Sidon 97 

Signs 29 

Simon Zelotes 50 

Sin 35 

Soil 60, 61, 62 

Son of man 36 

Soul 113 

Sower 56, 59 

Sprinkle 93 

Stability of the word 175 

Stealing a blessing 75 

Stilling a tempest 68 

Storm at sea 67 

Submission to Jesus Ill 

Suffering for Christ 168 

Swine 71 



PAGE. 

Synagogue 27, 42 

Syrophcenician woman 98 

Tares 65 

Temple stones 164 

Temple treasury 163 

Temptation of Jesus 23 

Thomas 49 

Thorny soil 61 

Tombs 69 

Traditions 93 

Transfiguration 115 

Transubstantiation . 184 

Tribute 156 

Triumphal entry 143 

Turning back 135 

Twelve, the 46, 82 

Tyre 97 

Unbelief 123, 148 

Unclean spirits 28, 46 

Unpardonable sin 52 

Vain worship 94, 95 

Veil of the temple 209 

Voice from heaven 23, 118 

Volition in religion 21 

Wealth 61 

Who is Jesus ? . . 80, 81, 108, 195 

Wicked husbandmen 152 

Widow's mite 163 

Wisdom of Jesus 73, 81 

Withered hand 43 

Withering 145 

Worship 79, 95 

Yarns in preaching 60 

Zealot, the 50 



FEB 2 1912 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: June 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



FE? t 1912 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 



